The Ministry of Social Development, through the Division of Gender and Family Affairs, is currently involved in two major processes. On one part it is leading in the development of a National Gender Policy and Action Plan (GEPAP) and on the other part, it is working with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to develop a Country Gender Assessment for Grenada.
As a result, GEPAP Consultant, International Gender/Development Specialist, Dr. Rawwida Baksh and CDB Country Gender Assessment Research Assistant, Dr. Hyacinth Skervin have been in the process of meeting with representatives from various sectors of society in Grenada and the Sister Isles of Carriacou and Petite Martinique to gather their perspectives on gender as it relates to a broad range of social and economic topics.
Leading at a two-day workshop Gender Equality at the Public Workers’ Union Building last week, Dr. Baksh gave some insight on the work that is being carried out.
“We’re doing a broad assessment of the precise gender equality issues in the political, social and the economic areas in Grenada to determine where the gaps are between men and women,” Dr. Baksh said.
“We need to determine what needs to change, and at what points interventions need to be made to create greater equality and equity between men and women, and boys and girls in the Grenadian society.”
Dr. Baksh, who also works along with the CDB in carrying out the Country Gender Assessment in Grenada, said that the information gathered from the sessions will also feed into the CDB Project.
“All the data and statistics coming out of these studies, together with the qualitative understanding we’re getting in these focus group sessions will be pulled together into a Country Gender Assessment for the CDB that will into its loan portfolio and grant portfolio in Grenada. Out of that there will also be recommendations on the areas that the country would like to prioritize for the CDB to support.”
According to Dr. Skervin, the perceptions brought to the sessions by the various participants prove instrumental in data gathering process.
“We’ve seen quite a cross-section of representatives in the sessions so far and this has been very useful. Persons are coming to these sessions with perceptions, working experience and even personal experience that enable us to get an insight into the issues that are most important and related to gender in Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. This guides us as to where we need to pursue policies, programmes or even projects,” the CDB representative said.
In addition to the focus groups sessions and sector consultations that have been held thus far, the Consultants are planning area consultations and semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders a on gender related issues in the near future.
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