Dominica could be co-opted into the process leading to the adoption of several OECS Harmonized Family Model Laws

And Dominica could be co-opted into the process leading to the adoption of OECS harmonized Family Model Bills. The Ministries of Justice, Immigration and National Security, as well as the Ministry of Social Services, Family and Gender affairs will jointly host, a one-day consultation on Monday May 21, 2016 at the APU Conference Room.
 
This undertaking will bring stakeholders together, to discuss and make recommendations on four Bills: (1) A Draft Model Children (Care and Adoption) Bill; (2) A Child Justice Bill; (3) A Domestic Violence Bill and (4) A Status of Children Bill. An assessment of the region’s laws and existing legal provisions, reportedly led to the drafting of modern Bills for enactment by the OECS Member States.
 
The consultation will consider the views of a number of participants including social workers, lawyers, law enforcement officials, members of the judiciary and the youth, so as to get a full overview of all the Bills.
 
Following the consultation, final drafts of the Bills are expected to be adopted by the Ministry of Justice, Immigration & National Security, in order to bring Dominica closer to Parliamentary enactment of the Bills.
 
Facilitator for the consultation is Legal Consultant Mrs. Elliott Mac Clure from St. Lucia, whose services were obtained under the OECS Secretariat and USAID Juvenile Justice Reform Project.