Gender and Development Sub-Programme - Elements of the Work Programme

Introduction

The Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas establishing the Caribbean Community including the CARICOM Single Market and Economy provides the operational guidelines for the functioning of the Community as well as the Secretariat. In this regard, Article 17.2d that outlines the functions and powers of the Council of Human and Social Development (COHSOD) is particularly instructive.

Subject to the provisions of Article 12, COHSOD shall be responsible for the promotion of human and social development in the Community. In particular, COHSOD shall:

(d) establish policies and programmes to promote the development of youth and women in the Community with a view to encouraging and enhancing their participation in social, cultural, political and economic activities (Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas).

It is in this area of human and social development that the Gender and Development Sub- Programme (14.2) is located. The Directorate responsible for Human and Social Development works in three (3) broad clusters, namely:

• Human Resource Development (HRD): education, labour and sport

• Culture and Caribbean Community Development: culture, gender and youth; and

• Health Development

The outputs of the various clusters contribute to facilitating the development of creative, healthy, secure and productive CARICOM citizens capable of functioning in knowledge based environment.

The Directorate utilises an inter-sectoral approach to its work with gender, culture and youth as cross-cutting themes. The Gender and Development Sub-Programme goal is to promote new and focused inter-sectoral approaches to contribute to Human Resource Development, Poverty Reduction, Gender Equity and the protection of disadvantaged groups in the furtherance of the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Gender and Development sub-programme revolves around the mandates given at Heads of Government and the Council meetings. In this regard, the Meeting of the Heads of CARICOM Women’s/Gender Bureaux held in Grenada in September 2002 that accepted the recommendations of the Task Force on Gender Mainstreaming (appointed in 2000) remains applicable for work in education, labour and HIV/AIDS and recommended the process begin with education.

Likewise, the recommendations of the Twelfth Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) held in April 2005 in Georgetown, Guyana provided some clear directions for the immediate work programme in gender and development. It is also informed by the international agenda on gender and development issues in particular, the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

REVIEW OF 2009

GOAL:

To promote new and focused inter-sectoral approaches to contribute to Human Resource Development, Poverty Reduction, Gender Equity and the protection of disadvantaged groups in the furtherance of the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the priority areas of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA)

IMPACT:

Creative, healthy, secure and productive CARICOM citizens functioning in a gender equitable environment

KEY RESULTS:

MDG Targets aligned to Community health, education and culture goals and localized targets incorporated into national development agenda;
Improved institutional infrastructure to address Gender Based Vulnerabilities;
Mainstreaming of gender into CCS/Community programmes and policies;
Development of a virtual network to promote the concept of regional integration and create a sense of Caribbean identity among 5–12 year olds;
Advocacy for further implementation of the Convention on Rights of Child (CRC); and
Strengthening technical information dissemination and coordination.

DELIVERABLES ACHIEVED:

• Increased sensitization to gender issues through a message by the Secretary-General on the occasion of International Women's Day 2009

• Contribution to increased awareness of the work of the gender programme through updates to the Gender page on the CARICOM website and Press Releases

• Regional mechanism identified to address gender based violence (GBV) and potential candidate identified for the post of Advocate Against GBV

• Gender impact assessments of CSME underway in seven countries

• Identified critical paths for the way forward on gender and development sub-programme as noted at the Fifth Meeting of the Bureaux of Women’s/Gender Affairs held in Guyana in October 2009

• Gender awareness and gender mainstreaming activities in areas such as youth, crime and violence, ICTs

• Monitoring indicators developed for the regional Framework for Action on Children, 2008-2011

• Development of the raft framework for children affected by migration

• Basic content developed for the CARICOM Kids Website

• Resource mobilization through the identification of project for institutional strengthening

• Enhanced inter-agency collaboration on implementation of Caribbean Priorities of Beijing Platform for Action

THRUST OF THE SUB-PROGRAMME FOR 2010 AND 2011

OVERVIEW:

The Gender and Development Sub-programme will continue its focus on promoting new and focused inter-sectoral approaches to contribute to Human Resource Development, Poverty Reduction, Gender Equity and the protection of disadvantaged groups in the furtherance of the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the priority areas of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA).

The Gender and Development Sub-programme is premised on ensuring women's empowerment and gender equality. As a cross-cutting and cross-sectoral element gender infuses several of the sub-programmes in the Human and Social Directorate. Within that context and that of the Human and Social Development strategy, emphasis will continue to be on deepening the mainstreaming efforts. Additionally, efforts will be focused on enhancing the capacity to advise, implement and monitor gender and development issues, develop advocacy tools and policy responses.

GOAL:

• Promotion of new and focused inter-sectoral approaches to contribute to Human Resource Development, Poverty Reduction, Gender Equity and the protection of disadvantaged groups in the furtherance of the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

IMPACT:

• Facilitate the development of creative, healthy, secure and productive CARICOM citizens capable of functioning in knowledge based environment.

OUTCOMES:

• Institutional mechanisms with relation to child protection strengthened

KEY RESULT AREAS:

• Gender based vulnerabilities:

Institutional infrastructure to address GBV including child protection measures instituted/strengthened and functioning

Diversity and social inclusion policies and programmes developed and instituted

• Gender mainstreaming: Gender sensitive programmes/projects/policies implemented

• Child protection: Strengthening of the institutional infrastructure for child protection

• Advocacy and networking:

increased collaboration among regional and international agencies and other organisations working on gender issues

existing partnerships strengthened and new partners will be identified

achievement of women in the Region highlighted and rewarded

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