Last night in Belmopan, the media had its first chance to interview the new U.S. ambassador to Belize, Michelle Kwan.
That interview took place after a candlelight vigil to honour survivors of abuse and gender-based violence that Kwan co-hosted with Belize's Governor General Froyla Tzalam.
7News attended the late evening event and tonight Cherisse Halsall has the recap:
U.S. Ambassador Michelle Kwan's first public engagement was one she called a somber event, but you wouldn't have known it from being there.
Instead, attendees might describe the twilight event graced by the glow of battery-powered candles and photograph most modernly, by a drone, as a powerful moment in the midst of this year's 16 days of activism.
That event hosted by Governor General Froyla Tzlam gave the GG a moment to highlight the statistics and to ask the question of why Belize has been so hard-pressed to get violence against women under control.
Froyla Tzalam, Governor General
"The question after having read the statistics on the Belize Crime Observatory website is why we are failing at reducing violence. I am alarmed to say that there continues to be an increase in reported crimes against women and that half of women and that half of the women reporting abuses are between the ages of 24 and 30. The analysis of the data is equally relevant when the data alone cannot say what interventions are needed or if the current ones are working, finally,can we cure domestic abuse? Recent studies show that it is safer and far more effective to disrupt dangerous men rather than trying to fix them, rather than asking why she doesn't leave, the question should be why he doesn't stop. We don't have a culture of therapy in Belize but if this is a tool that can be used to diffuse the powder keg that becomes violence then we need to advocate for it and have the police, health, and social services work together."
For her part Ambassador Kwan invited everyone in attendance to stand and be united for justice.
Michelle Kwan, U.S. Ambassador to Belize
"U.S president Biden has said we cannot have a conversation about human rights and human dignity without talking about the right of every woman on the planet to be free of violence and free of fear. Belize we stand with you steadfast in this fight. Gender equality and women's empowerment are critical to building resilient democratic societies to supporting open and accountable governance, to ending extreme poverty, to furthering peace and security, to growing vibrant economies and to addressing pressing health and education challenges. This is why gender-based violence is all our business."
For the new ambassador, the event was chosen to set the tone for a key issue that will be one of the focusses for her first diplomatic posting in Belize.
Michelle Kwan, U.S. Ambassador to Belize
"Every year the world gathers at this time to highlight the issue against girls and women and all those with the courage to express their gender identity."
A release from the U.S. Embassy today calls Gender-based violence a quote: "shadow pandemic."
