Latest update January 1st, 2025 1:00 AM
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Rights of the Child, Gender Equality Commission now complete
The Rights of the Child Commission and the Women and Gender Equality Commission are now complete following the swearing in of the final commissioners.
On Friday, Magda Pollard, a long-time women’s rights activist was sworn in to the Women and Gender Equality Commission, completing appointments to that Commission. Also on Friday, educator Bibi Ali, who has worked with children for the past 37 years, was sworn in to sit on the Rights of the Child Commission.
Pollard and Ali were sworn in by President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Bibi Ali, left, and Magda Pollard after being sworn in to the Rights of the Child Commission, and the Women and Gender Equality Commission, respectively.
It has been months since most of the members of the two commissions were sworn-in, but neither of the commissions are functioning and there is expected to be continuous delay.
This is because the constitution says that the Secretariat for the Human Rights Commission will serve as the secretariat for the Rights of the Child, Indigenous, and Women and Gender Equality Commissions, but there is no Human Rights commission as yet.
The four commissions are constitutional commissions agreed to by Parliament for the “promotion and enhancement of the fundamental rights and the rule of law.”
The Rights of the Child Commission reports to the National Assembly, and is responsible for providing an annual report “as soon as practicable after the end of each year of its operation.”
The other Commissioners of the Rights of the Child Commission are Kaloutie Nauth and Yvonne Fox (representing Service organisations); Kwame McCoy (representing the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security); Vidyaratha Kissoon (representing women’s organisations); Sarojanie Rambarran, Aleema Nasir, and Colleen Anthony (representing religious organisations); Marissa Massiah, Michelle Kalamadeen and Suelle Findlay-Williams (representing youth organisations) Sandra Hooper, Rosemary Benjamin-Noble (representing women’s organisations); Hyacinth Massay (other); and Shirley Ferguson, representing the National Commission on the Rights of the Child.
The legislation that supports the setting up of the Rights of the Child Commission, stipulated that the Commission’s functions would be to promote initiatives that “reflect and enhance the well-being and rights of the child.” The Commission is tasked with ensuring that the rights and interests of children are taken into account at all levels of Government, other public bodies and private organisations.
The other members of the Women and Gender Equality Commission are Cheryl Sampson, Vanda Radzik, Shalimar Ali-Hack, Debra Ann Henry, Nandranie Coonjah, Ernestine Barker Logan, Bibi Haliema Khan, Karen Van Sluytman-Corbin, Renata Chuck-A-Sang, Gaietra Baron, Gillian Burton, Nicole Cole, Peter Persaud, and Indranie Chandarpal.
According to the constitution, the Women and Gender Equality Commission shall promote national recognition and acceptance that women’s rights are human rights, respect for gender equality and the protection, development and attainment of gender equality.
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