Belize Consulted on CARICOM Regional Gender Equality Strategy

Anne Marie Williams

The draft CARICOM Regional Gender Equality Strategy speaks to additional thematic pillars such as, social inclusion, freedom from violence, access to health services, inclusive education, and sustainable development. Participants at today’s workshop were divided into seven groups. Each group was given a single pillar to review, and to provide actionable steps that the Government of Belize can implement to better address the gender gaps that exist in these areas.

Anne Marie Williams, Deputy Program Manager, Gender and Development

“We are putting groups together, seven groups, and giving people an opportunity to really look at what the pillars are saying and find out from them, because we know that every conversation e have in development there is a gender component in that conversation. You could never really talk about development, which is people centered, without talking about men and women and boys and girls. So, we are looking at health. In terms of the pillar that speaks to health, we talk about mother to child transmission, sexually transmitted infections, sexual reproductive health and rights; there is also an issue with men’s health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, which has laid bare all our inequalities, not only in Belize, but across the world, we know that there have been lots of cases of mental health. So, what is government doing in terms of psycho-social support? We will hear from people in this room representing civil society, representing government, the private sector, the churches, what would they like to see under health, not only for today but to prepare for when the next pandemic comes, because it is not if, it is when.”