As global leaders gathered in New York for the 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), The Bahamas was represented with clarity, conviction and purpose by Janet McKenzie, the country’s appointed gender expert to the Follow-up Mechanism to the Belém do Pará Convention (MESECVI).

The Belém do Pará Convention—formally the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women—is a landmark regional treaty adopted in 1994 that commits countries across the Americas, including The Bahamas, to take concrete action to prevent, investigate and eliminate violence against women. MESECVI serves as the mechanism that monitors how effectively states are meeting those obligations.

Taking the international stage as a featured speaker at a high-level side event hosted by the Government of Mexico and MESECVI, McKenzie delivered a compelling call for stronger data systems as a critical pathway to justice for women and girls experiencing violence.

The event, held at the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations, brought together global partners including UNFPA, UNDP and CAF under the theme: “Strengthening Data for Access to Justice: Digitalization, Measurement and Accountability in Ending Violence against Women and Girls.”

From Policy to Practice: Making Women Visible in Data

In a room of policymakers, diplomats and advocates, McKenzie spoke to a persistent global challenge: violence against women remains one of the most widespread human rights violations, yet too often remains hidden in incomplete or fragmented data systems.

“Justice systems cannot respond effectively to what they cannot accurately measure,” she stated, grounding her remarks in both global realities and national responsibility.

Her intervention underscored a critical truth emerging from decades of international frameworks—from CEDAW to the Beijing Platform for Action and the Belém do Pará Convention—that legal commitments alone are not enough. Without reliable, accessible and integrated data, justice remains uneven and, in many cases, out of reach.

The Data–Justice Connection

Drawing on findings from MESECVI’s Fourth Hemispheric Report, McKenzie highlighted structural gaps that continue to undermine progress across the region, including underreporting, fragmented systems, and insufficient investment in both digital infrastructure and human capacity.

She emphasized that data is not merely a technical tool, but a bridge between survivors’ experiences and institutional accountability.

“When data is systematically collected, digitized and analyzed across sectors—from law enforcement to healthcare and the courts—it allows us to identify patterns, allocate resources effectively and hold institutions accountable,” she said.

Importantly, she pointed to emerging threats such as digital and technology-facilitated violence, noting that measurement systems must evolve to capture these new forms of harm.

The Bahamas: Building Systems that Protect

Positioning The Bahamas within this global conversation, McKenzie outlined national progress, including provisions under the Protection Against Violence Act mandating systematic data collection, and the Data Protection Act, 2025, which ensures that sensitive personal information is securely managed.

These frameworks, she explained, are critical in balancing transparency with survivor confidentiality—an essential component of building trust in justice systems.

Her presence at CSW70 also formed part of a broader Bahamas delegation led by Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting Myles LaRoda, Permanent Secretary Phedra Rahming, and Head of Delegation Donnette Williamson, alongside key national representatives in gender affairs and violence prevention.

Four Steps Toward Stronger Justice Systems

Moving from diagnosis to action, McKenzie presented four clear recommendations to strengthen justice outcomes for women and girls:

• Integrated digital systems linking police, courts, health and social services to reduce fragmentation and survivor retraumatization
• Harmonized indicators aligned with international standards to improve monitoring and comparability
• Investment in infrastructure and training to ensure institutions can effectively use data
• Greater transparency and accountability, enabling public oversight while safeguarding privacy

Together, she noted, these measures would enable earlier detection of abuse, faster legal responses, and more targeted prevention strategies.

Beyond Statistics: A Call to Action

As CSW70 nears its conclusion, McKenzie’s message resonates beyond the conference halls.

“Access to data ultimately fuels justice,” she affirmed, “because it turns hidden experiences into visible proof—and proof into action.”

Her contribution reflects not only The Bahamas’ commitment to international obligations, but also a growing recognition that the fight against violence requires systems that see, measure and respond to every woman and girl.

In a world striving toward equality, the message is clear: what gets counted, gets addressed—and what gets addressed, can be changed.

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