“Overwhelming” is how organisers of the Men and Women United 2025: Stop Gender-Based Violence 5k Walk described the support for this year’s installment of what is to be an annual awareness-raising and advocacy event now in its second year. The organisers, the Integrated Health Outreach Gender-Based Violence Coalition (IHO-GBV) in partnership with the Directorate of Gender Affairs (DoGA), estimate that more than 2000 residents of Antigua and Barbuda participated in the walk on Saturday, commemorating International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025.
Participants spoke candidly about their reasons for coming out. One woman in her forties said, “We are here to march against violence. It was important to me to come out, so I invited my co-worker and we are both here today,” while another participant, a man in his twenties, said, “Violence happens to everyone but more specifically to women because they’re often seen as less than. It’s important that people who are not directly affected by problems show their support so that those who are affected don’t feel alone.”
A woman who was proudly displaying a placard with the words “Protect our mothers sisters and daughters” offered this when asked why she chose to participate: “Too many women are being raped in Antigua, too many women and too many young girls, and I am here to support them.”
All ages were represented, and there were even babies and toddlers being pushed in strollers taking part in the GBV awareness walk. Organisers say that around 35% of registrants indicated when signing up that they were joining as part of an organisation. Some of the largest groups included the Girls Guides with nearly 200 registrants, the Villa Primary School with a cohort of more than 90, and the Ottos Comprehensive School with more than 100. Additionally, more than 50 soldiers and cadets from the Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (ABDF) joined the walk as well.
The local sponsors and supporters of the event included Chestertons Antigua, Island Living Investment Services (ILIS), and Moongate Hotel & Spa, as well as Flow, the Ahkimo Group, Caribbean Alliance Insurance, Paparazzi Pizza, the University of the West Indies Five Island Campus ((UWI FIC), the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA), Sagicor, Twist Wholesale, Beyond Limits Fitness, the Epicurean Fine Foods and Pharmacy, the First Choice Supermarket, and the Source Clothing Store.
Representing three sponsors, Chestertons Antigua, Island Living Investment Services and Moongate Hotel & Spa, Gaye Hechme, said: “We believe in equality and in respect. That is the policy that we uphold in our workplace and we believe that in supporting this event, we are supporting the same for all spaces throughout Antigua and Barbuda. As a nation, we must adopt a zero tolerance approach when it comes to gender-based violence. That is why we are here today.”
The Men & Women United 2025: Stop Gender Based Violence Walk is a project implemented by IHO in partnership with the DoGA and supported by the Equality Fund and Global Affairs Canada. The IGO-GBV Coalition is an arm of IHO.
