Government Remains Committed to Gender Equality

Culture Minister, Gender Culture and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, says the government remains

committed to promoting gender equality and encouraging women and girls to grow sustainably.

"The government asserts that equality between men and women is an essential requirement to

achieve this. As a precondition and predictor of a people-centered approach to national

development, we remain committed to gender equality, "she said.

The Minister spoke on Friday (March 8) at a breakfast conference organized by the United

Nations Development Program (UNDP) at the Courtleigh Hotel in New Kingston to celebrate

International Women's Day.

The theme of the event was: ‘Breaking Through to Next-Level Gender Equality in the Jamaican

Workplace’.

Ms. Grange, who commended the UNDP for its dedication to promoting gender equality through

its Gender Equality Seal certification program for public and private companies, pointed out that

the long-standing relationship between the government and the organization will be enhanced by

its shared vision of providing equal opportunities for all citizens.

She also advocated the forum’s subject, noting that “it fits flawlessly with the Government’s

gender mainstreaming programme which offers priority cognizance to women’s empowerment to

achieving gender equality”.

Ms. Grange mentioned that Jamaica is experiencing a new attention with regards to gender

equality, arguing that a gender transformative schedule is crucial to, not handiest maintaining

peaceful communities, but constructing sustainable and flourishing countrywide economies.

Meanwhile, UNDP Resident Representative in Jamaica, Dr. Elsie Laurence-Chounoune,

counseled the Government for its strides in gender mainstreaming.

These advancements, she noted, have resulted in the elevation of a massive percentage of women

to managerial positions; high stages of lady enrolment in tertiary institutions; and remarkable

development in piloting development of the Sexual Harassment Bill and National Policy on

Gender Equality.

Dr. Laurence-Chounoune stated the UNDP’s Gender Equality Seal Certification Programme

emphasizes the want for more place of business equity, and encouraged personal area and quasi-

public enterprises to take part within the engagement.

She talked about that the programme is designed to enhance staff retention, increase

productivity, lessen absenteeism and provide greater go back on investment.

“Your company’s gender equitable footprint is in all likelihood to have a nicely needed fantastic

ripple impact for gender equality in the course of Jamaica, that's intrinsically linked to

sustainable improvement and is vital to the belief of human rights for all,” she added

The breakfast paperwork was collectively hosted with the Bureau of Gender Affairs and Jamaica

Chamber of Commerce (JCC).

It featured displays from representatives of several leading non-public sector corporations

participating within the UNDP’s certification programme, which was launched in Jamaica in

2017.

International Women’s Day 2019 was observed on March 8 below the marketing campaign

subject: ‘#BalanceforBetter’.

The worldwide subject matter was: ‘Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change’.