New Legislation Aims to Close Gaps in Belize’s Domestic Violence Response

The Government of Belize has introduced legislative reforms aimed at strengthening protections for survivors of domestic violence. On November 20, 2025, two significant amendments were tabled in Belmopan: The Justices of the Peace (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill, 2025. Together, these updates aim to provide faster, more accessible emergency protection, particularly during nights, weekends, holidays, and other periods when the courts are closed.
A key component of the reforms is the empowerment of specially trained Senior Justices of the Peace to issue 72-hour emergency protection orders. These temporary orders act as an immediate safeguard until a magistrate can formally hear the case. Previously, survivors often remained unprotected during high-risk periods when court services were unavailable. The amendments also require police stations to establish private areas for victims and introduce stricter vetting processes for Justices of the Peace.
These changes support the Government’s National Gender-Based Violence Action Plan (2024–2030), which focuses on a comprehensive approach involving public awareness, expanded police training, and a national domestic violence hotline. The reforms follow longstanding criticisms that the existing framework was slow in granting emergency orders and did not adequately support victims outside regular court hours. Under the old system, Justices of the Peace could not issue emergency protection orders independently, leaving critical gaps in immediate support.
During the bills’ presentation in the House of Representatives, Minister of Human Development, Family Support and Gender Affairs, Honourable Thea Garcia-Ramirez, underscored the life-saving potential of the new measures. “This reform is not a replacement for the court, but a life-saving bridge that can mean the difference between danger and safety,” she said, noting the collaboration among the Ministry, the Family Court, and the Justices of the Peace Association.
The reforms are expected to improve survivor safety significantly by reducing delays in accessing legal protection. The government also announced that public consultations on a modernized Domestic Violence Bill will begin during the Sixteen Days of Activism, to introduce a fully updated law in 2026. Officials encourage support across all sectors to ensure that these legislative advances translate into meaningful, real-world improvements for Belizean families.