By Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
Her Excellency Lady Cooke (centre) speaks with Minister of Development Dr. Paul Robertson, who has responsibility for gender affairs, and Cheryl Gopaul (right), development officer at the Canadian High Commission. They were attending the Bureau of Women's Affairs International Women's Day 2005 panel discussion at Holy Cross Church hall yesterday. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer
WHILE JAMAICA has made some strides in gender equality, spokespersons on gender issues say there is more to be done.
In looking on the steps made in legal reform that ensures gender balance, Linnette Vassell, community development and gender specialist, said, "We can see that some measures have been taken in legal reform." Examples, she said, included the passing of the Domestic Violence Act (2004) and the Property (Rights of Spouses) Act in 2004.
She, however, noted that an implementation date has not yet been set for the Property (Rights of Spouses Act). Mrs. Vassell, however, pointed out that there were still outstanding legislation to be amended. These included amendments to the Offences Against the Persons Act and to the Constitution to include 'sex' as one of the categories where discrimination is prohibited.
LONG STANDING FLAW
"This is a long standing flaw in the Constitution that needs to be amended. We need to move with greater speed in terms of putting forward these measures," she observed.
Responding to this, Dr. Paul Robertson, the minister of development with responsibility for gender issues, said that while he is unable to say when the Property (Rights of Spouses) Act would be implemented it should be soon. He added: "Since I have come on board there has been a lot of action (in relation to women issues) and I plan to continue to be as vigorous in the (upcoming) legislative year."
Turning to the issue of women's role in decision-making, Mrs. Vassell said, "Everybody would admit that women are not widely represented in (either) political parties, the Parliament and other government agencies."
Supporting her claims, Mrs. Vassell said in relation to the parliamentary representation, there has been a reduction in women representation. She said that for the House of Representatives only 17.3 per cent of women were represented at that level in 1998 but this declined to 12.3 per cent in 2004. Representation in the Senate also showed a decline, said Mrs. Vassell with 28.6 per cent in 1998 and 19 per cent in 2004. At the local government level, there was also a decline with a 24 per cent women representation as councillors in 1998 and 16 per cent in 2004.
"We are not going into the right direction and this should be of great concern. We are definitely lagging behind," said Mrs. Vassell.
But Faith Webster, director of policy research at the Bureau of Women's Affairs, argues that women were taking on more positions in the public sector. She said in 2001, 54 per cent or (55,000) of persons employed to the public
sector were women.
