Gender equality is a elementary human proper and is crucial to Jamaica’s financial development and social improvement, says Tradition, Gender, Leisure and Sport Minister, Honourable Olivia Grange.
“That’s the reason gender equality stays on the coronary heart of Imaginative and prescient 2030, Jamaica’s nationwide improvement plan,” she stated.
Grange was addressing the Jamaica Inventory Trade (JSE) ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality For All Ladies and Ladies: Rights, Equality, Empowerment’ occasion, held on Monday on the JSE places of work, downtown Kingston.
She stated it’s in recognition of the significance of gender equality to nationwide progress that the Authorities has developed and carried out a number of insurance policies, programmes, plans and tasks geared toward selling equal entry to alternatives and sources.
These transformative measures are designed to shore up protections for all individuals, notably for ladies and ladies, who’re disproportionately affected by a myriad of gender-specific points.
Most notable is the Sexual Harassment Safety and Prevention Act, which got here into impact on July 3, 2023, strengthening safeguards in opposition to sexual harassment that’s employment-related, occurring in establishments or arising within the landlord and tenant relationship.
The Act accommodates provisions coping with sexual harassment within the office, colleges, correctional establishments, locations of security, nursing houses, medical and psychiatric services, amongst different locations.
Cupboard not too long ago authorized the institution of the long-awaited Sexual Harassment Tribunal, which serves because the chief adjudicating physique to implement the laws.
Intensive coaching in sexual harassment investigation is ongoing to equip authorised officers, human useful resource professionals and different personnel with the requisite expertise to create and implement sexual harassment office insurance policies consistent with the parameters of the laws.
One other programme is the 10-year Nationwide Strategic Motion Plan to Eradicate Gender-based Violence (NSAP-GBV, 2017-2027) targeted on prevention, safety, investigation, prosecution, and enforcement of victims’ rights, by means of a multi-sectoral method and in collaboration with varied stakeholders.
As a part of the implementation of the Nationwide Strategic Motion Plan, the Ministry has operationalised the Continuum of Look after survivors of gender-based violence, which was launched in June 2022.
The ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality’ occasion was held in observance of Worldwide Ladies’s Day (IWD) 2025, noticed on March 8 underneath the theme ‘Speed up Motion’.
IWD honours the achievements of girls throughout all facets of life – social, financial, cultural, and political – whereas additionally advocating for gender equality.
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