As the relevant Ministries work with the Bureau of Women’s Affairs to expedite the passage of several pieces of legislation related to gender equity, the Bureau will also continue to address the issues surrounding gender based violence through a number of activities planned for the current legislative year.

Making his presentation in the 2004/05 Sectoral Debate in the House on May 11, Minister of Development, Dr. Paul Robertson disclosed that through funding from the Canada/CARICOM gender equity programme, the Bureau planned to conduct a series of eight workshops for personnel in the justice system in eight rural parishes, including St. Mary, St. Ann, St. Thomas, Westmoreland, Trelawny, Hanover, St. Elizabeth and Clarendon.

A series of eight workshops are also to be carried out in schools in Kingston and St. Andrew, Clarendon, Trelawny, St. Elizabeth and Hanover.

Dr. Robertson noted that the Bureau was engaged in a number of programmes to foster economic, social and community empowerment, especially among poor rural women and their families.

Acceding that some of the country’s gender related laws had lagged behind international norms, the Minister pointed out that government had been placing emphasis on the much needed legal reforms to address imbalances and irregularities in local legislation affecting women.

Following a review of 42 pieces of legislation, seven had been prioritized. These include the Property (Rights of Spouses) Act, which has already been tabled and approved by both Houses of Parliament, and is awaiting the Governor General’s approval. The other six pieces are the Maintenance Act, the Offences Against the Persons Act, the Charter of Rights Bill, the Domestic Violence Act, the Incest Punishment Act and the Sexual Harassment law.

Meanwhile, a Ministry paper on the establishment of a Gender Advisory Committee (GAC) was tabled in the House this week. The major objective of the GAC, which will advise the Minister on gender priority issues for consideration, is to develop a strategic and comprehensive policy direction for achieving greater gender equality and social justice.

In addition, the GAC will advise the Minister on institutional arrangements to ensure that the Bureau of Women’s affairs will be focused on the continued advancement of women and girls, and in this regard, the activities of the Bureau will be articulated with the established gender equality directions.

On behalf of the Minister, the GAC will ensure that issues of particular relevance to men and boys will be taken into account in policy implementation.

The GAC will have overall responsibility for providing direction, co-ordination, integration and monitoring of gender mainstreaming activities aimed at achieving policy goals. Focal points will be identified and a multi-sectoral mechanism established to facilitate the integration of gender into sector policies and programmes, as well as to give attention to the on-going programme of legal reform in relation to issues of gender equality.