BPfA Validation Exercise
Antigua and Barbuda’s Beijing Declaration & Platform for Action report nears completion.
St. John’s, Antigua: Over 30 stakeholders from across the public service and civil society gathered yesterday to review the country’s latest report on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA).
The validation exercise, hosted at the Department of the Environment, marked the penultimate stage in Antigua & Barbuda’s Beijing reporting process. The undertaking began in February with a review of previous reports and other literature relevant to the Beijing Platform. The DoGA then consulted with government and CSO stakeholders to assess the nation’s progress towards gender equality over the past five years. The recent consultative review and validation exercise allowed stakeholders to review a draft of the report to ensure it accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Minister of State with responsibility for Gender Affairs, Samantha Marshall, attended yesterday’s consultation and addressed the gathering during the opening ceremony. She lauded the country’s achievements since Dame Gwendolyn Tongue signed on to the BPfA in 1995, and noted key areas for improvement, particularly eliminating violence against women and increasing women’s political participation.
Executive Director, Jamie Saunders says consultation produced honest, robust, and critical feedback from national stakeholders. “Their responses will significantly strengthen the country’s report submission. The consultation also served as a platform to renew partnerships and to create new avenues for the agencies that were represented to work together to achieve more effective gender mainstreaming and equality.”
Following the consultation exercise, the Directorate will incorporate the stakeholder feedback into the document ahead of its scheduled submission by June 1st, 2024.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua! We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.Contact us at [email protected]
