Minister Webster represents CARICOM at UN Forum on Women

Mar 12, 2014 News

…tells of gender equality challenges

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has recorded significant progress as it relates to achieving the Millennium Development Goals set for women and girls.
This is according to Guyana’s Human Services and Social Security Minister, Jennifer Webster, as she spoke on behalf of CARICOM member states at the 58th Session of the ‘Commission on the Status of Women,’ which is being held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

Human Services and Social Security Minister, Jennifer Webster

Minister Webster is head of the Guyana delegation which includes Renata Chuck-A-Sang of the Women and Gender Equality Commission, Vilma DaSilva, as an indigenous peoples’ representative of the non-governmental organization – the Rural Woman’s Network, Guyana’s Permanent Representative of the United Nations, George Talbot and Dinte Conway of the Ministry’s Special Projects Unit.
In her speech, Webster said that “guided by a people-centered approach to development, CARICOM member states recognize the critical role of gender equality and empowerment of women to achieving poverty eradication, social integration and sustainable development.”
As such, she noted that Caribbean governments have accorded high priority to combating gender-based discrimination and promoting the advancement of women at the national, regional, and international levels.
She highlighted that some of the region’s major achievements towards to Millennium Development Goals include the participation of girls in the academic arena as well as the sharp decline of HIV incidence.
“Great gains have been made in girls’ participation and enrollment in education, especially at the tertiary level. However, while primary school enrolment remains high for both sexes, the disturbing trend of decreased participation of boys at the secondary and tertiary levels continues,” the Minister said.
She pointed out that almost twice as many females are enrolled at the University of the West Indies (UWI), as compared to males. However, she pointed out that this does not always lead to better labour market outcomes for women.
Minister Webster said that the fact remains that youth unemployment continues to record higher figures among females. But apart from this challenge, she boasted that as of 2011, the Caribbean achieved the sharpest decline in HIV incidence of any region, with 42% fewer HIV infections annually compared to 2001.
“This decline is especially so for Mother to Child transmission of HIV.”
Although there are many successes, Guyana’s Human Services Minister said that CARICOM Member States also recognize and are working to eliminate some of the major challenges that persist.
Some of these, she pointed out include “gender-based violence, adolescent pregnancy, the increased risk of the feminization of poverty, and the burden and threat of non-communicable diseases.”
As it relates particularly to gender equality, Webster told UN officials that “the experience both at the regional and global levels indicates that persistent inequality is a fundamental challenge to sustainable development.”
She noted too that, “in 2012, the World Development Report on Gender Equality and Development concluded that patterns of progress and persistence of inequality are both consequential to development outcomes.”
“Studies in the region have shown that gender inequality represented a socio-economic loss to our societies and a cost to human development.”
As such, the Minister noted that corrective policies are needed that focus on such disparities, especially given the reported consequences.
“CARICOM is of the view that addressing the challenge of gender inequality requires a change of attitudes and approaches at multiple levels,” Webster said.
She added that the role of men and boys and that of the family, as the fundamental unit of society, is crucial and should be strongly supported.
Minister Webster noted that the Caribbean Community remains committed to ensuring that women have equal access to education and health-care services, including primary as well as maternal and child health care services.
“Increased awareness through communication, information and education programmes, is crucial to empower women to take care of their health.” the Minister emphasized.
She noted that CARICOM endorses the need to encourage equal opportunities in the acquisition of assets, social protection, access to economic and investment opportunities, which promote entrepreneurship and financial independence, as well as women’s participation in all levels of decision-making in society.
In moving along that line, Minister Webster said that CARICOM is committed to accelerating the process towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls, noting that “we are also committed to a transformative post-2015 agenda that takes full account of the needs and priorities of the region. “
She stressed that such an agenda must address the structural foundations of gender-based inequality and contribute to a better world for women and girls.