The CARICOM Secretariat has launched a series of consultations on the draft CARICOM Regional Gender Equality Strategy (CRGES) beginning on Tuesday (July 26).

Senior officials in ministries of gender, education, health, labour, environment, and finance from Guyana, Suriname, the British Virgin Islands, and The Cayman Islands are expected to participate virtually in the first of a series of national and regional consultations on the Strategy.

CARICOM noted that the Strategy has seven areas of focus and aligns with international frameworks including the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action, and the Sustainable Development 2030 Agenda. It also looks at CARICOM’s Gender Equality Policy, which aims to strengthen the CARICOM Secretariat’s capacity to champion gender equality and empowerment of women by working with the member states, and international and regional development partners.

The seven priority areas are gender equality and social inclusion; freedom from violence; economic empowerment; good governance; access to health services; inclusive quality education and sustainable natural resource management.

Titled Stepping it up: A strategy to achieve gender equality in the Caribbean Community, the Strategy underscores CARICOM’s commitment to strengthening the promotion and practice of gender equality as well as the empowerment of women and girls.

The CARICOM Secretariat said it anticipates that the consultations will help to ensure that the process towards the finalisation of the Strategy is inclusive, participatory, and reflects the input of the wider Caribbean community.

Ann-Marie Williams, deputy programme manager for gender within the CARICOM Secretariat, said the consultations also provide the opportunity for stakeholders to discuss the Strategy’s vision, mission, and objectives.

She added that the engagements with key stakeholders would address the challenges and opportunities identified in each area of focus as well as new and emerging issues around gender equality.

The recommendations coming out of the consultations, which end on Friday (July 29), are also expected to strengthen the implementation process, Williams said.