Cabinet accepts Draft National Policy on Gender and Development

Cabinet today accepted the Draft National Policy on Gender and Development. In September 2002 Cabinet agreed to the development of a National Gender Policy and Action Plan for Trinidad and Tobago. Subsequently, the Centre for Gender and Development Studies of the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, was engaged and served as the consultant to the project. The Consultant’s Report entitled “The Draft National Gender Policy and Action Plan”, was submitted to the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs in 2004.

The Consultant’s Report was developed following extensive public consultation and research. This included the execution of:

• a National Stakeholder Consultation

• Seven Community Consultations 10 Interest Groups Consultations
in Trinidad; and

• An island-wide Consultation and six Interest Groups Consultations
in Tobago.

Gender Focal Points of various Ministries also participated in a cross-sectoral roundtable to provide feedback on seven thematic sector studies which include education, health, law and judiciary, agriculture and rural development, labour, economy and social and community development.

The Consultant’s Report was sent for tweaking by a Technical Review Committee, comprising representatives of governmental and international agencies and stakeholders.

The document has since undergone further review and editing by the Gender Affairs Division of the Ministry and the output – “The Draft National Policy on Gender and Development of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago”, will be laid in Parliament and published for comments.

The Policy provides support and guidance to governmental and civil society agencies in dealing with gender and development issues and in responding to national, regional and international obligations. It embraces the fact that men and women, girls and boys are impacted differently in every sphere of national life.

The Ministry anticipates that there will be much interest in this policy development process and solicits public support on the way forward.