Bridgetown, Barbados, October 28, 2025 — Saint Kitts and Nevis has joined six other Caribbean nations in signing a Regional Agreement on Legislative and Policy Priorities on Domestic Violence, marking a historic milestone in regional efforts to strengthen laws, institutions, and survivor-centered justice systems with respect to domestic violence.
The signing took place at the first day of the Regional Symposium to Advance State Responses on Domestic Violence, held in Bridgetown, Barbados. The event brought together Attorneys General, Ministers of Justice, Judges, Commissioners of Police, Gender Affairs experts and regional and international partners, including the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and UN Women.
Representing the Federation were Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs Hon. Garth Wilkin, Commissioner of Police James Sutton and Acting Director of Gender Affairs, Ms Shinnel Charles. They joined regional counterparts in endorsing the Agreement, which commits participating states to coordinated action to harmonize legislation, close legal gaps, and improve institutional accountability across the Caribbean.
Under the Agreement, countries will:
- Develop model domestic violence legislation and propose national amendments;
- Produce policy guidance notes on key reform areas;
- Establish a Technical Working Group on Legislative and Policy Reform; and
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Appoint a regional rapporteur to track progress and report to member states.
After participating in a high-level panel discussion at the Symposium with colleague Attorneys General from Barbados and Guyana, AG Wilkin added that “the Federation has shown its ongoing commitment to strengthening survivor protection through the Parliament’s first action in this term—passing the November 2022 amendment to the Domestic Violence Act, which expanded the definition of economic abuse and allowed victims to access justice quicker and at exponentially less cost, through the Magistrate’s Court.”
The Symposium was hosted by the Government of Barbados, CDB and IDB, with participation from scores of delegates representing Caribbean governments and partner organizations. This Agreement signals a new era of regional cooperation, legislative harmonization, and survivor-centered justice.