The Association of Women's Organisations in Jamaica (AWOJA), will on August 11, travel to the United States, along with representatives of the Government through the Bureau of Women's Affairs, to discuss the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
AWOJA will be presenting a shadow report looking at the view points of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Jamaica, with a focus on the existing conditions and needs of women in relation to the 16 articles of CEDAW and solutions on how to deal with the challenges.
At a meeting held Thursday night at the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica Auditorium, in New Kingston, president of AWOJA, Hermione McKenzie, said that among the issues to
be discussed, are the establishment of a focal legal person or entity to accelerate human rights legislation and a proposal for a permanent legal adviser or gender specialist to be attached to the Bureau of Women's Affairs to focus on CEDAW and the obligations of the state.
"What we seem to be lacking in Jamaica, there doesn't seem to be a responsible person with a desk for these issues that seem to get on the back burner, and hang around for 11 years and longer. We (NGOs) think there should be a desk or a portfolio to be responsible for making sure that we (Jamaica) live up to our international treaties and conventions that we have signed," Mrs McKenzie told The Gleaner.
The shadow report will also address issues relating to the development of legislation on sexual harassment, the elimination of stereotype roles for men and women, the establishment of a minister with sole responsibility for women's affairs and the application of CEDAW to rural women.
CEDAW is an international treaty that is part of the United Nations human rights system.
