-labour workshop hears
Permanent Secretary in the Labour Ministry Trevor Thomas has urged greater focus on the participation of women in national development, comprise more than half of the country’s human resources.
Thomas, who chaired a three-day workshop on Strategic Planning with a Gender Perspective, said development in accordance with international policies translates into a sustained improvement in the wellbeing of individuals and benefits all. According to the Government Information Agency (GINA), women are central to the economic and social wellbeing of societies. “Women in development is a holistic concept where goals can never be fully reached without their participation,” Thomas noted. Women must therefore have both the legal right and access to the existing means to improve both themselves and society. Gender issues can no longer be neglected but must be discussed towards ensuring equity, equality and perspective in the workplace.
In her address, Commissioner of Women and Gender Equality Indranie Chandarpal pointed out that Caribbean governments have made much progress in the advancement of gender mainstreaming. However, many challenges are still to be overcome in promoting vibrant and visible actions to give effect to gender perspectives in policies and programme, she said. “While there are many challenges, we must not allow them to overwhelm us. We need to strive to ensure that the best practices which exist in member states are adopted by the Ministries of Labour and to work towards stronger collaboration between labour and the government,” Chandarpal said. She expressed confidence that the workshop will inspire policymakers to carry out their responsibilities in ensuring that the decisions taken are implemented as far as is practical and that they make an enduring impact on the ongoing process of gender mainstreaming in the Caribbean.
GINA said the workshop was organised by the ministry, the Organisation of American States, the Inter-American Commission on Women, Caricom and the International Labour Organisation.
