Latest update May 19th, 2026 12:35 AM
Nov 02, 2023 News
…ministerial confab hears
Kaieteur News – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states will soon adopt a Gender Equality Strategy which will advance the protection and development of women and girls across the region.
This was revealed during the opening day of a three-day ministerial forum on gender empowerment and equality launched on Wednesday at the Marriot Hotel. The forum will see the participation of stakeholders from across the Caribbean. Present at the opening of the event was Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali and Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud.
The forum, which will continue until Friday, is geared towards the sharing of experiences by delegates to contribute towards the strategy to tackle gender equality and empowerment.
CARICOM’s Assistant Secretary General, Human and Social Development, Alison Drayton, during her address to the gathering at the opening, said that the strategy will be adopted within two weeks at an upcoming meeting of Ministers with responsibility for gender.
Drayton went on to say that the strategy captures the collective aspiration, shared dedication, and unwavering belief in the transformative power of equality. She urged participants that as they deliberate and collaborate in the days ahead, to hold that vision at the forefront of discussions and decisions.
She further stated that, “By doing so, we lay the foundation of a CARICOM community that is not only united by history and geography but more so by a resolute commitment to building a world where every woman man and child, regardless of gender stands on an equal footing.”
Dr. Vindhya Persaud in her address at the forum, spoke of the importance of empowerment. “Empowerment is an interesting word. Whenever people in Guyana or the region hear the word empowerment, they tend to associate it with women, because we’ve been doing so much work around the world, in the region and our various countries, when it comes to empowering our women.”
To the men in the room, she encouraged them to tell their brothers in the public domain that they, “are included and empowerment is an expansive word that encompasses the kind of mission we need to be on, to ensure that people have equal access to opportunity and the ability for self-development.”
Other regional ministerial officials participating in the forum are, Ayanna Webster-Roy, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister –Gender and Child Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago, Orando Brewster – Minister of Gender Affairs, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Philip Telesford – Minister of Social and Community Development, Housing and Gender Affairs, Grenada, Joachim Henry, Minister of Health and Wellness and Elderly Affairs, St. Lucia, and Oscar Requena, Minister of Local Government, Belize.
Over the next two days, the stakeholders will take part in round table discussions covering a wide range of topics including gender violence, support for women in the workplace, and poverty among women.
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Your children are starving, and you giving away their food to an already fat pussycat.
May 19, 2026
Guyana’s 60TH Independence Diamond Jubilee Sports Kaieteur Sports – Guyana’s 60th Independence Diamond Jubilee Sports programme kicked off in the past week with four disciplines and three...May 19, 2026
(Kaieteur News) – The debate over Article 13 of Guyana’s Constitution is not simply about words. It is about political power, who controls the state, and whether ordinary people truly have authority in national decision-making. The defenders of “inclusionary democracy” present it as a...May 17, 2026
By Sir Ronald Sanders (Kaieteur News) – An attempt is now being made by a few member states of the Organization of American States (OAS), using procedural manoeuvres, to prevent a proposed “Declaration on the Rights of Persons and Peoples of African Descent” from proceeding to the OAS...May 19, 2026
(Kaieteur News) – Pres. Ali and the PPP Gov’t celebrates jobs, jobs, jobs. Question One: who’s doing them? Sure, there are more jobs. Question Two: what kind of jobs? Since the people to do high-level, top-quality jobs aren’t here. They keep running away. When only Haiti did worse than...Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: glennlall2000@gmail.com / kaieteurnews@yahoo.com