As a parliamentary debate on a sweeping court modernization package gets underway, Barbados’ leading women’s advocacy organization is sounding the alarm over the crippling human and financial costs of persistent backlogs in the country’s family justice system, warning that single mothers are bearing the brunt of the delay.
The National Organisation of Women (NOW) has publicly thrown its support behind the judicial reform bill tabled Tuesday, arguing that long-overdue procedural updates are desperately needed to alleviate strain on overburdened family courts that have struggled with crippling logistical backlogs for years. NOW President Melissa Savoury-Gittens emphasized that streamlining access to the legal system would be a transformative win specifically for women navigating sensitive child maintenance claims and domestic abuse proceedings.
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” Savoury-Gittens said in a statement supporting the reforms. “Survivors of abuse are forced to rehash years-old trauma over and over again during drawn-out court proceedings, and that repeated emotional distress takes an enormous toll on individuals and families.”
The organization’s endorsement comes after years of growing criticism over misaligned court infrastructure that has added unnecessary hardship for claimants. Recent changes, including the closure of the St Matthias Magistrates’ Court and the shift to shared court facilities in Oistins, have forced many low-income women to travel farther for hearings, driving up out-of-pocket costs even before they resolve their claims.
But the most damaging impact, Savoury-Gittens argued, stems from the months- or years-long backlogs that have left thousands of custodial parents in limbo while waiting for court-ordered child maintenance. For low-income single mothers, frequent required court appearances translate directly to lost wages, added transportation costs, and unexpected childcare expenses. Many end up losing money just to pursue the financial support they are owed, pushing already vulnerable households deeper into financial instability.
These prolonged delays do not just harm individual families, Savoury-Gittens noted. They also place unplanned strain on the country’s broader social welfare system, as mothers waiting for unpaid child maintenance are forced to turn to public assistance to cover basic living costs that the court-ordered support was supposed to pay for.
The reform package’s emphasis on digital innovation—including expanded virtual hearings and electronic case recording—earned praise from NOW as a key step to cut backlogs and eliminate travel burdens for claimants. But the organization also raised two critical concerns that must be addressed to avoid leaving marginalized women behind: data security and equal access to digital tools.
Citing past high-profile cybersecurity breaches and technical disruptions that have derailed previous remote court proceedings, Savoury-Gittens called for robust new safeguards to protect sensitive personal data of survivors and claimants. The organization also highlighted the widespread digital divide that leaves many low-income households without access to reliable high-speed internet or the devices required to join virtual hearings.
To address this gap, NOW has backed a proposal from the country’s legal affairs minister to repurpose secure community spaces as designated hubs where vulnerable claimants can access the technology they need to participate in virtual proceedings. Savoury-Gittens said the move would help ensure digital reform expands access rather than creating new barriers for the women who need justice the most.