Still a priority

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - The head of one of the United Nations agencies is concerned about the length of time it takes for cases of gender-based violence, including sexual assault of children, to be heard in the court system. Christine Arab, who recently took up the post as Representative of UN Women Multi-Country Office of the Caribbean, made the comments during a wide-ranging exclusive interview with The Barbados Advocate recently. She noted that across the Caribbean, efforts have to be made to expedite these cases in order to bring about a measure of closure for the victims. Despite regional policymakers viewing cases of this nature as a serious problem that need to be given priority, these delays are occurring because the system in general is overwhelmed. But all is not lost, Arab said, as the judiciary is cognisant of the problem and want to see it addressed.