This morning the media was invited to a socialization session to discuss the new revised National Gender Policy, 2021 - 2030. The consultations with key stakeholders for this revision are still ongoing and it is the hope of the National Women's Commission that, after they are completed, the policy and its action plan will be approved by the Cabinet.
And according to the president of the commission, Thea Garcia Ramirez, the plan seeks to empower the vulnerable population, particularly women, domestic violence survivors, and at-risk youths. Ramirez explained there were gaps in the previous policy that needed revision, and that the commission is listening keenly to all the stakeholders' input. We spoke with her today.
Thea Garcia Ramirez, President, National Women's Commission
"This is part of the socialization process, we want to get everybody involved and to learn about the National Gender Policy and accompanying action plan because it's just not a policy unless we put it into motion and we actually implement it. It basically seeks to empower women and to ensure that we are not only equal but in different areas, we have equitable measures that will put us on par with Belizean men."
Reporter:
"This is an update to the 2013 one, can you tell us what has changed?"
Thea Garcia Ramirez
"It has been renewed, as you know we have had a change in administration, changes in vision, there's also been changes at the National Women's Commission and so there were some gaps that were not quite… we really weren't able to implement those, a lot of those had to do with the pandemic, we had almost two years when we didn't have any contact. So now we have renewed and we are still taking the five pillars that we have, that we look at, and I think that this one is more comprehensive, we have done extensive consultations over the last year, and I think that it will have the support of the majority of Belizeans moving forward this time."
"I think that we have made every effort this time to engage, to listen closely, to take their concerns and to try, in as much as we can, to incorporate those valid concerns that they have into this new gender policy, as I said, we are still speaking to them, I know that we may not be able to agree on every point but I know that overwhelmingly, even with some of those sectors that were at odds with the gender policy that they understand that the National Women's Commission and the government is really looking to lift the station of many women, of vulnerable groups, rural women, women in embattled urban areas that we have and so to give them every chance to empower themselves, to educate themselves."
The stakeholders who have been consulted so far include the Council of Churches, the Opposition, and Civil Society.
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