Gender Affairs wants better deal for women

Assessing the work done over the year and making plans for the way forward, the 2007 National Conference on Women was held at the Peace Memorial Hall last Tuesday under the theme “Building Capacity for Gender Equity”.{{more}}

While much had been accomplished, it was also admitted that more needed to be done to ensure that women received the respect they deserved.

Minister with responsibility for Gender Affairs Mike Browne said that the department faced the challenges of a small staff and at times not enough funds to accomplish their goals.

Browne said that his Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration would “champion the cause of the disadvantaged whether or not his party was in power,” and pointed out that one of the ways this could be accomplished was through strengthening the family, which he described as the “fundamental institution which was often taken for granted.”

The Minister however noted that many women carried the burden of being the sole providers of the household and therefore there was the need to ensure that women’s needs were addressed.

Some of the successes of the Gender Affairs Division include the drafting of the Domestic Violence Action Plan, the training of personnel in Gender Affairs at the University of the West Indies (UWI), the “Re-entry of Teenage Mothers into School” programme, various gender seminars and the financial assistance to women, particularly those in rural areas.

Also addressing the gathering were Permanent Secretary in the Gender Affairs Division Rosita Snagg who stressed the

need for both sexes to work together to succeed, Co-ordinator of the Gender Affairs Division Polly Olliver who noted that her department was working on collecting data so that they could better facilitate the needs of women throughout the country and Director of Social Development Miriam Roache who called on those who could afford to help the less fortunate.

The government assists some 6,000 persons at a monthly cost of $670,000. (SG)