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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Caribbean Parliamentarians Seek to Increase Women's Leadership Roles in Politics and Peace Initiatives

20 November 1998

Strategies to increase women's participation in processes of democratic decision-making, conflict prevention and resolution will be examined by Caribbean parliamentarians, representatives of UNIFEM-Caribbean Office, CARICOM and NGOs, when they meet in Barbados from 23-26 November, 1998. This Caribbean Regional Symposium is being hosted by the Government of Barbados. It will provide a forum for participants to share experiences and exchange information on building partnerships between women and men in democratic processes and peace initiatives in the Caribbean region.

The parliamentarians will examine the role played by women in resolving conflict, and discuss strategies for engendering parliamentary procedures and the public policy agenda. They will agree concrete recommendations and strategies for action to strengthen the role of women in peace building and political decision-making at the national, regional and international levels, which will then be widely disseminated.

The theme of the Symposium is Gender Integration into Politics, Peace, Conflict Prevention and Resolution. It will be opened on Monday, 23 November at 09.30 by The Hon Billie A Miller, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tourism and International Transport, and Sir Humphrey Maud, Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General (Economic and Social Affairs).

The Symposium forms part of the Commonwealth Secretariat's Programme on Gender Integration into Politics and is being organised by the Gender and Youth Affairs Division in collaboration with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Commonwealth Foundation. It is the third in a series of Symposia on the theme following the African and Asian/European Symposia held in June 1997 and March 1998 respectively.


Notes to Editors:

Participating countries and non-independent territories will be Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat and Turks & Caicos.

At their Fifth Meeting in 1996, Commonwealth Ministers Responsible for Women's Affairs recommended that by 2005, a minimum of 30 percent of those in decision-making positions in the political, public and private sectors should be women, and that countries already close to reaching this target should strive for a 50-50 balance between women and men.

 

98/80 20 November, 1998

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