First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar is calling on women to stand together and support victims of domestic violence, in her message in observance of International Women’s Day 2012.
“We cannot just condemn domestic violence. We must work to provide assistance to those in need,” the First Lady said. “They need our attention. They need our love. They need our support. We must come to their rescue. We must help them to summon courage to step away from their abusers before it’s too late,” she added.
This year’s observances are being held under the theme, “Empower women-end hunger and poverty,” and Ramotar noted that poverty and hunger are not always for physical or material things. “There is poverty of spirit and the hunger for affection and support,” she said, while urging every woman to be her sister’s keeper, to look for signs that indicate a woman might be in a troubled relationship and to help her to liberate herself from abuse.
Ramotar also expressed the hope this year’s observances will “renew our conviction to do what is humane and right to bring an end to the abuse of women.”
