Women leaders gather for first Caribbean regional colloquium on women empowerment

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago, in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat, UN Women, the Organization of American States, and the Caribbean Institute for Women in Leadership, will host the first ever Caribbean Regional Colloquium on 'Women Leaders as Agents of Change' on 29 and 30 June 2011.

The colloquium brings together women leaders from across the Caribbean, the Commonwealth and the Americas, to further promote awareness of the challenges facing women today and will aim to provide solutions to advance their empowerment.

The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and Commonwealth Chair-in-Office, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who will deliver the keynote address at the two-day colloquium, said she is honoured to host this event: “It is a truly historic moment when women leaders in the region can come together to decide on the path towards empowerment in the lives of women in both the public and private sectors. It is true development when women are granted the agency to explore their own potential and contribute to the sustainability of a nation."

Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Ransford Smith and the Director of the Social Transformation Programmes Division, Dr Sylvia Anie, will represent the Commonwealth at the regional colloquium.

Mr Smith said “the Commonwealth believes that gender equality and female empowerment are integral to the struggle against poverty and the pursuit of human development” and that “the Caribbean Regional Colloquium for women leaders is an excellent opportunity in this regard and is in line with the Commonwealth’s strategic activities to mark the 2011 Commonwealth Day theme ‘Women as Agents of Change’.”

Dr Anie, who will chair and facilitate lead discussions on the Pan-Commonwealth Leadership Training Curriculum developed for women in leadership positions, stressed the importance of the ongoing partnership between the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and the Secretariat.

She added: “The regional colloquium will highlight our shared vision to empower and improve the lives of women worldwide and to work coherently towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goal Three: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women. It is indeed an honour for the Commonwealth Secretariat to be part of this event."

Delegations will come from throughout the Caribbean, the Inter-American Commission of Women members from Latin America, and a high-level delegation from the USA.

US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton will deliver, via video, a message to female regional political leaders, parliamentarians, members of the diplomatic community and civil society representatives, who will share their experiences and challenges as women leaders and raise awareness of the gender equality commitments made in key international agreements, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; the Beijing Platform for Action; the Millennium Development Goals; and the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005-2015.

They will also agree on priority goals and strategies for advancing women’s empowerment and gender equality in the political, public and private sectors in the Caribbean, and strengthening the regional network of women in politics.