National women's Commission

On December 13, 2024, a workshop at the Sunbreeze Conference Room in San Pedro focused on Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) to end violence against women and children. Organized by The National Women’s Commission, this initiative is part of a broader campaign to address gender-based violence (GBV) by promoting behavioral changes among men and boys in the community. The workshop brought together various stakeholders, including local leaders, educators, and community members, to engage in discussions and activities designed to challenge existing norms and promote healthier relationships.

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence commenced with a Flag-Raising Ceremony in San Pedro on November 22nd. The San Pedro Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Committee organized this event to raise awareness about the prevalence of gender-based violence in the community.

UNFPA delivered capacity building sessions on Gender Based Violence in Emergencies (GBViE) to key organizations with the main objective to support the establishment of a GBViE mechanism in Belize. Officers from the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), Belize Institute of Search and Rescue Training (BISART), the Women and Family Support Department (WFS), the National Women's Commission (NWC) and the Belize Red Cross, who lead in the national response in emergencies, benefitted from a one day capacity building session, tailored to their specific role in the national response mechanism. In addition to this, a youth webinar was organized to engage the youth population on how volunteerism and outreach activities can support the efforts in addressing GBV in emergencies.

Belize started celebrating Women’s Day in the 1970s and now observes March as Women’s Month. The aim is to celebrate women’s achievements, empower them, and combat gender bias while promoting awareness and equality. This year Women’s Month is being celebrated under the team “Inspire Inclusion, Count Her In” and will take a holistic approach towards women and girls, focusing on their social, economic, cultural, and political achievements.

The National Women’s Commission (NWC) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is proud to announce the successful launch of the Gender Equality and Diversity Seal in the workplace. The initiative marks a significant milestone in fostering equality and diversity within organizations in Belize.

As per the Belize Crime Observatory, gender-based violence has been increasing since 2021 and remains a vital issue in the National Gender Policy, seeking to end acts of violence affecting women and girls. To further raise awareness on this issue, the National Women's Commission (NWC) is championing a move dubbed the Social and Behaviour Communication Campaign (SBCC) to spread the message of the need to change people's way of socializing and how they deal with differences. The campaign reached San Pedro Town on Thursday, August 24th, and presenters of the sensitization strategy engaged a group of island stakeholders at a session held at the Grand Caribe Resort, where vital information was shared.

On Wednesday, August 16th, the ‘Know Yuh Rights’ lecture series, a nationwide campaign to better understand the Belize Constitution, occurred at the Angel Nuñez Auditorium in San Pedro Town. The public event is an ongoing effort by the People’s Constitution Commission (PCC) to present a comprehensive review of the Belize Constitution, consult the population, obtain feedback, and submit a final report on the findings to the Prime Minister. At the end of the process, the National Assembly will decide if Belizeans must move to repeal or amend the current Constitution.

The Ministry of Investment held the closing ceremony for Belize’s Vanilla Cultivation Pilot Project at the Centro Escolar Mexico Junior College (CEMJC) in the Corozal District.