The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum

Kingston, Jamaica: March 8th will once again mark the celebration of International Women's Day (IWD). Jamaica along with other countries around the world will recognize the day by acknowledging the achievements of women in every sector of society while assessing the extent to which gender equality has been achieved. This year's theme, “The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum”, positions gender equality on the path of greater sustainability. The government’s lead agency for gender matters, the Bureau of Women's Affairs (BWA), along with the Dispute Resolution Foundation through the Way Out Project, with support from the Fund for Gender Equality (FGE), UNWOMEN and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will be involved in a number of planned activities to highlight International Women's Day.

The week's activity began with the Annual Memorial Lecture on March 4, 2013 at the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica Auditorium in Kingston. The BWA, through The Way Out Project supported the Jamaica Women's Political Caucus and the Rose Leon Memorial Trust to execute this lecture in honour of the late Rose Agatha Leon, CD, JP.  Guest lecturer at the event was Mrs. Beverley Manley-Duncan.

The Bureau of Women’s Affairs will also be partnering with the Management Institute for National Development (M.I.N.D.) to execute the Annual Public Sector Leadership Conference under the theme “Leadership in Action: Supporting the Vision, Engendering Transformation” on March 7-8, 2013 with the view of exploring proposed strategies for the implementation of the National Policy for Gender Equality (NPGE). The keynote speaker will be the Hon. Horace Dalley, MP, Minister without Portfolio, Ministry of Finance and Planning representing the Hon. Portia Simpson-Miller, ON, MP, Prime Minister of Jamaica.

The week's activity will culminate on March 8, 2013 with a media launch of the public education campaign on the National Policy for Gender Equality at the Wyndham Hotel. The keynote speaker for the launch will be Senator the Hon. Sandrea Falconer, Minister of Information, in the Office of the Prime Minister. The public education campaign will be executed by the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) over the next six months.

In keeping with the Bureau of Women's Affairs objective to mainstream gender at a national level Ms. Kelly Tomblin, President and CEO of the Jamaica Public Service Co. Limited has been invited to bring remarks as a representative of the private sector. In addition, international artiste Tesanne Chin will perform a few of her popular hits for the IWD patrons. The event will reflect a host of other public officials in this celebration.

Additional sponsors supporting the events include, Jamaica Yellow Pages, Advantage General Insurance Company, Tai Flora Luxe and STUSH.