In a follow up consultation from March 26th to 30th a meeting of Chief Parliamentary legal advisors was held to help OECS drafters review the four draft family bills. The Family Bills under review are:

• The Status of Children Bill
• Child Care and Adoption Bill
• Juvenile Justice Bill and
• Domestic Violence Bill

The modernized  model Family Bills seek to replace existing Family Laws in Member States and will serve as the impetus for a modernized judicial and legislative system with the capacity to resolve family related matters in a more holistic manner, thus ensuring equity and greater access to justice for all families  in the sub-region.
The main expected outcome of this review is to have the Bills refined and sent to the Attorneys General chambers with a view to presenting it before parliament for eventual endorsement. The review has been ongoing since 2003 under the coordination of the OECS Family Law and Domestic Violence Legal and Judicial Reform Project.

Marcia Lesmond, coordinator of the OECS Family Law and Domestic Violence Legal and Judicial Reform Project says once the laws under review are eventually harmonized they are expected to be consistent with international conventions and treaties signed by respective governments.

“For example, you have the convention on the rights of the child which has never been addressed in any of our previous legislation. You have the convention on the removal of all forms of discrimination against women considering our present social and economic realities.”

Lesmond adds that the current undertaking seeks to redress inconsistencies and inadequacies in previous legislation to help create fairness and equity for parents, families and children.

Among a few examples, Lesmond cited the law regarding putative fathers noting that the expected change will provide for such fathers to seek custody for their children. The approaches towards reforming these laws are supported by public consultations in the form of media activities, interest groups and stakeholder dialogue. The consultations have taken place in all OECS Member Countries as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands.