Scores of men and women opted to voice their anger and disgust over domestic violence against women, in a show of solidarity at a public rally at Emancipation Park in St Andrew last Wednesday, observed as International Women’s Day.

Although organisers said that the number of participants was lower than they expected, officials said that the aims and objectives of the rally were met.

“For change be bold!” a string of persons chanted as they marched from Emancipation Park on to Knutsford Boulevard, Trafalgar Road and back to Emancipation Park, where booth displays and a staging area were set up for an impending entertainment show.

Shanika Ormsby, research officer at the Bureau of Gender Affairs, which falls under the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, which partnered with AIDS HealthCare Foundation Jamaica, urged people to rally around the theme ‘Unite to end gender-based violence’.

“The concert. in general, is to promote empowerment and healing to persons who are survivors of gender-based violence, and to send a message to perpetrators that we should put an end to violence against women and gender-based violence,” Ormsby shared.

Several other agencies were present, carrying out their mandate in alignment with the theme and nature of International Women’s Day events.

Among the agencies participating were the Woman Inc Crisis Centre, Jamaica Red Cross, Health Through Walls, National Family Planning Board, Registrar General’s Department, Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation, Jamaica Constabulary Force, and the Jamaica Cancer Society.

Many of the persons who participated in the march, and concert which followed, were drawn from various church and youth groups across the island, and a few came from within the Diaspora.

National Youth Service programme representative, Shameika Harris said she marched in support of the women of Jamaica and the world. “The march was very short. I feel supported, and I feel like I represent that cohort of women who have witnessed or have been victims of abuse… it may not have been as aggressive as instantly changing laws and policies etcetera, but subtly I do think it has an impact,” Harris said.

Asked how she would make the event any different if she were to organise it, Harris responded: “I would try to get this out more into the media ’cause I don’t think a lot of persons were aware of it because, as you can see it’s not as big as the Sigma Run that you have to pay to participate in. so yeah, I think if it received more media coverage we would have more support.”

Government officials including Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange were in support and joined the gathering following the march.

Many of the young volunteers who marched, walked alongside Holness in the park, engaging him in conversation and photo opportunities before he went on stage to present an address, which lasted approximately two minutes.

Holness introduced Grange whom he described as his “political mother”. He also projected Senator Sapphire Longmore as his “younger sister” and recommitted the Government of Jamaica’s strong stance against domestic violence.

“Today is International Women’s Day, and on this day we not only recognise but we celebrate the work and value that women contribute in building our homes, communities and our nation,” Holness told the audience.

He said that after discussions with a group of “influential but representative women”, they identified issues facing Jamaican women and behind financial independence and economic empowerment for women, was violence.

Holness continued that much of the violence is directed against women, particularly in domestic circumstances. He implored Jamaicans to break the normalisation of men believing that violence against women ought to be accepted.

Despite the rain, attendees stuck around for the concert, which featured several of Jamaica’s leading artistes, among them Patrick “Tony Rebel” Barrett and his daughters.

The entertainment package also came in the form of poetry, dance, and song, with participants drawn from various institutions.

There was also a short film on abuse, which told the story of a schoolgirl who was abducted by men in a taxi and raped, even as witnesses ignored what was happening.

The film grabbed the audience’s attention, judging from the responses.