— regionally, below 30 per cent of ministerial portfolios are held by women, Minister Persaud tells UN forum

WHILE women in the region occupy more ministerial posts today, they are still very much outnumbered by men, said Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, who noted that on average, less than 30 per cent of ministerial portfolios are held by women. Dr. Persaud made the observation while representing the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) at the 65th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65). Known to be the United Nations’ largest gathering to address issues of women’s rights, the two-week virtual activity attracted members of global civil society organisations, gender experts, and other international actors, including United States’ Vice-President, Kamala Harris. The forum aims to build consensus and agree on a roadmap to advance gender equality, with the focus this year on the theme, “Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.”

Minister Persaud’s 11-minute message to the UN, reflected on CARICOM’s perspective and focused extensively on women’s participation in leadership and decision-making; implementation of gender quotas in politics; the elimination of violence against women and girls and the ongoing commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. “The annual session of the Commission on the Status of Women provides us with an opportunity to review progress made in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and renew our shared commitments to achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls,” Dr. Persaud told the meeting. She said that as the world enters into its decade of action to deliver the sustainable development goals, it is imperative that introspection is followed by action. “It is a travesty that 25 years after Beijing, no country has achieved gender parity. This year’s theme of ‘Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence’ is timely. Both elements are critical to achieving gender equality and the sustainable development goals,” Dr. Persaud said.

She emphasised the fact that women continue to play essential roles in the socio-economic and political development of the CARICOM region, and can be found in leadership positions in every sphere of influence including politics, public services, business, and in civil society. “There is, however, still much work to be done,” the minister posited. Dr. Persaud proceeded to reference the UN Secretary General’s 2020 report which highlights that worldwide, women are still underrepresented in public life, and decision-making, with less than seven per cent of Heads of State being women. The minister said that while the proportion of women in Parliament has doubled globally, since 1995, men still hold 75 per cent of seats.

DEPENDABLE PARTNERS IN DEVELOPMENT

“While not present in large numbers, historically, women in the Caribbean Community have been actively involved in politics and have made important contributions to the legislative agendas in their respective countries. They have established themselves as dependable partners in the development process and play a crucial role in promoting sustained and inclusive economic growth and in poverty eradication,” Dr. Persaud noted.

She added that women continue to be influential through their involvement in civil society, women’s organisations, as well as in other civic engagement, including academia. Through these channels, women have been vocal in advancing the human rights of women and girls and advocating for legislative and policy changes.

“There must be an enabling environment for women to achieve full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, with men as equal partners. In this regard, we emphasise the importance of the family and the need for there to be shared responsibilities and a home environment that gives equal opportunities to boys and girls and that is free from violence. Childcare, education, healthcare, and robust social protection services are essential parts of this equation,” Dr. Persaud asserted.

COMMITMENT TOWARDS EDUCATION, EMPOWERMENT

She also emphasised CARICOM’s commitment towards the education and empowerment of women and girls. “Women and girls are encouraged to pursue their ambitions, and their achievements are celebrated,” Dr. Persaud said. She however, lamented the fact that while women in the region are more likely than men to have a tertiary education, this does not always translate into higher earnings.
“Despite higher access to, and performance in, secondary and tertiary education, they tend to have lower level and lower paying jobs and dedicates three times more time to unpaid work than men. In all countries of the region, the employment rate is lower for women. Though, it should be noted that recent statistics show that women are more likely than men to be employed by government,” Dr. Persaud posited.

She acknowledged the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has deepened gender inequalities and increased poverty among global populations, with women being disproportionately affected by unemployment and other COVID-related restrictions which have dramatically increased the unpaid care and domestic burdens of women and girls, reflective of an entrenched gender division of labour.
“Violence against women and girls has escalated and schooling disrupted. Those living in poverty and in rural and indigenous communities are at particular risk of being left behind,” Minister Persaud added. She noted too that in addition to COVID-19, the continuing impacts of climate change provide serious challenges and setbacks for our region with women and girls being among the most affected populations.

“Amidst all of this, our women have shown immense fortitude and leadership, contributing in numerous ways towards COVID response and recovery efforts, on the frontline as healthcare and essential workers and community organisers, as well as some of the most effective national leaders in combating the pandemic,” Dr. Persaud indicated.
She added, “We continue to seek support from our developmental partners for building our capacity to collect credible data and information based on which evidence-based policies and action plans can be developed.”
In bringing the curtain down on her presentation to the UN, Dr. Persaud stressed on the importance of consistent global advocacy in ensuring that barriers limiting women’s full and effective participation in public life are demolished, paving the way for dynamic and successive generations of female leaders across continents.