International Women's Day 2010: Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities, Progress for all

Monday, March 08 2010 @ 02:00 PM AST

Today, March 8, 2010, marks the celebration and commemoration of International Women's Day. The Gender Affairs Division of the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs hosted a Breakfast Seminar at the La Boucan Restaurant, Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, which targeted staff of the Ministry, as well as other Gender Focal points representing Ministries and Agencies in Trinidad and Tobago.

The event is just one of the many events which will take place during the month of March to commemorate International Women's Day. At the Breakfast Seminar, a fair number of guests, including male and female staff members were present to participate in a very informative programme which was facilitaed by staff of the Gender Affairs Division.

In her welcome remarks, Director of the Gender Affairs Division, Monica Williams highlighted that since the first commemoration of International Wome's Day, almost 100 years ago, the dynamics and magnitude of women's role in society has more than doubled. She identified that she was pleased to see a mixed audience and indicated that the seminar had, as one of its key objectives, the opportunity to give an understanding of the Draft Green paper document for the National Policy on Gender Development. Also speaking at the seminar this morning, was Permanent Secretary, Angella Jack, who gave the keynote address on behalf of the Honourable Marlene Mc Donald, who was regrettable unable to attend due to work committment.

Gender Training Specialist at the Ministry, Hermian Smart-Findlay gave an overview of the National Policy on Gender and Development as well as a brief understanding of the term Gender. According to Smart-Findlay, gender is not only about sexual, biological differences, but in fact gender relates to the social construct and relations among men and women, their roles based on culture, tradition and developments as these roles seek to develop our society.

She indicated that the overall goal of the National Policy on Gender and Development was to promote gender equity, equality and social justice in the context of sustainalbe human development in Trinidad and Tobago. She also informed that the framework for the Draft National Policy was:
- The United Nationa Universal dclaration of Human Rights
- The Beijing PLatform (15 years old);
- The Convention on the Elimination of discrimination Against women
- The Vision 2020 Strategic Plan;and
- The United Nations Millenium Goals

Smart findlay concluded by stating the process involved in the development of the National Policy and advocated that it was time for action from an individua lperspective to make the Policy a White paper and ready for approal in Parliament.

The following is the address (verbatim) delivered by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Angella Jack on behalf of the Honourable Marlene McDonald, Minister of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs at the Breakfast Seminar this morning.

- Chairperson, Mr. Zephyrine, Director of the Community Development Fund of the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs,
- Deputy Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry;
- Staff of the Ministry;
- Gender Focal Points representing other Ministries;
- Participants;
- Specially Invited Guests;
- Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

"Happy International Women’s Day 2010! It is indeed an honour on behalf of the Honourable Minister, Marlene Mc Donald to address this very distinguished gathering, on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2010. Let me begin by extending warm greetings to each one of you. I am glad that so many of you have accepted our invitation to be here, where we had a lovely balance of male and female. To stand in solidarity with women and men all over the world in celebration of the great gains that women have achieved in the past, and to pledge our commitment to future actions for the equitable advancement of men and women in Trinidad and Tobago.

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day celebrations is “Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for all.” Indeed Ladies and gentlemen, gender equality and the empowerment of women are integral to the realisation of the fundamental precepts enshrined in our own Constitution that mandates the equal rights of all citizens regardless of sex.

Ladies and gentlemen, equality for women and girls with men and boys is more than just a human right; it is also an economic and social necessity. Until women and girls experience equality in rights and opportunities with men and boys and are free from poverty, violence and other injustices, all our national goals as identified in 2020 stand in jeopardy.

This is best expressed by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, when he said:

“When women are denied the opportunity to better themselves and their societies, we all lose.”

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is fifteen (15) years post the Beijing Conference on Women. As a nation we have experienced significant strides in the advancement of women and improvements in gender equality outcomes since then.

Trinidad and Tobago now ranks 16th among nations of the world in the Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM). This value ranks Trinidad and Tobago highest among the nations of the Caribbean, in the review of key indicators advancing gender equity and equality and the empowerment of women.

In Trinidad and Tobago, there are many examples demonstrating the progress of women and girls. Enrolment on our University Campuses is over 60% female. There are more women in our Parliament and in Cabinet than at any time in the past. Over 30% of our Parliamentarians are female. Women’s participation rate in employment now stands at 53% with a 2.8% annual growth rate. More women own their own businesses and are economically well situated now than in the past. This is due in no small measure to over three decades of state action to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, and also to the rigorous contributions of civil society and the women’s movement to call for equal rights and opportunities for women and girls.

I would like to submit, however, that in spite of the gains of the past decades, resulting in women’s greater visibility and increased economic participation, the work of attaining gender equality has only just begun. Fifteen (15) years ago at the Fourth World Conference on Women, our Government pledged its commitment to advance equality, development and peace for women. The landmark Beijing Declaration remains as relevant today as when it was first adopted.

Although we have experienced great gains in gender equality and the advancement of women from 1995 to now, the quest to promote equitable advancement of both men and women continues to be a very legitimate one. We must continue our commitment to the mandates set out in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, cognizant of the many victories yet to be won.

Gender inequalities still continue to impact adversely on sustainable development in our nation. This is often demonstrated by the high spate of gender violence; lower wages; and the higher rates of unemployment and poverty experienced by some women.

This is why this Ministry continues to administer policies and programmes which foster gender equality. These initiatives foster the socio-economic independence of the most vulnerable women in society; the empower men to adjust to changing gender roles, and promote public education and sensitization through workshops, seminars and conferences, television and radio productions, and the dissemination of literature.

These include the Women in Harmony Programme for single female heads of households, the Non-Traditional Skills Training Programme for Women, the Defining Masculine Excellence Programme for men, and many others. Our best efforts cannot surpass more the effective approach of greater levels of intra-ministry and inter-ministry collaboration. If we all include gender concerns in our work, the goal of gender equality would be further advanced and sooner realised.

It is for this reason that the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs, with the passage of the Draft National Policy on Gender and Development, hopes to establish a National Commission on Gender that would give greater oversight to the implementation of gender and development issues within all sectors of Government.

Not only do we envisage that policies, plan and programmes will become more gender sensitive, but that state institutions would themselves be transformed so that everyone would benefit from gender equality and equity and reach their fullest potential in development.

This approach can change the very face of the public sector. This institution may include, for example, support structures required by both men and women, such as crèches, after care for school aged children, restrooms designed with areas for nursing mothers to sanitarily extract and store breast milk, and nurturing fathers to change diapers, and recreation facilities to prevent many of the lifestyle related diseases that impact men and women on the job. It may also ensure job classification and pay equity, and paternity leave for fathers. This is just a small peek into a future that features greater levels of gender justice.

As I close let me take this opportunity again on behalf of the Honourable Minister to thank you for being here. More than that, however, I encourage you to catch the vision of society that places the equal development of people - men, women, and boys and girls at its very core, intertwined with a genuine commitment to do all in our power to ensure that they are served equitably in the development process. Not only is it their human right, but we can pursue this vision, safe in the knowledge that such an approach is the only true effective and sustainable one in the quest to attain developed country status by the year 2020.

On this International Women’s Day, let us look critically at the past so that we can celebrate our achievements, and yet take concerted action to remove the barriers that are still in place to achieving the goal of gender equality. Let us work with renewed determination for a future of equal rights, equal opportunities and progress for all.

Ladies and gentlemen, I wish you God’s richest blessings, as we all seek to promote equal rights and opportunities for men and women, and pledge our commitment to do all in our power to ensure the progress of all in Trinidad and Tobago. I wish you all a happy International Women’s Day 2010.

Thank you very much".


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CREDITS:
- Story and photo by Natalie Walters;
- Speech transcribed by Nicola Joseph

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