Volume 7 - Issue 2 February 2020 The Hummingbird CARIBBEAN FIRST REGIONAL GENDER AGENDA SANTIAGO COMMITMENT APPROVED BY CARIBBEAN AND LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES Caribbean VOices THE CARIBBEAN MAKES ITS VOICES HEARD AT REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON WOMEN Statistics and legislation ECLAC'S STUDY ON CARIBBEAN NATIONAL STATISTICAL LEGISLATION ´ Contents 4 Article Gender data assessment in Saint Lucia Feature Article 8 Santiago Commitment approved by Caribbean and Latin American countries to accelerate efforts to fulfill the Regional Gender Agenda 12 Article Parliaments and civil society address SDGs implementation in the Caribbean 16 Article Go Green Dominica: A sustainable alternative to plastic bags 19 ECLAC Caribbean Family ECLAC POS family hails the achievement of Blaine Marcano, Ph.D. Cover Image of participant at Regional Conference on Women held in Santiago, Chile by ECLAC Issued on a monthly basis, The Hummingbird offers strategic insights into the latest projects, publications, technical assistance missions and research carried out by ECLAC Caribbean. In addition to these, sneak previews are provided of the most salient upcoming events, alongside enriching follow- ups to previously covered issues. With a view to featuring a variety of facets of Caribbean life and lifestyle, The Hummingbird also zooms in on cultural activities and landmark occurrences through an eye-opening regional round-up. EDITORIAL TEAM Editor: Alexander Voccia Copy Editor: Denise Balgobin Publication Design: Blaine Marcano Please see our contact details on the back cover of this magazine Posted Jan 24 Non-Communicable Diseases are a real problem for Caribbean countries. #ECLACCaribbean #NCDS February Events Executive Board of UNDP/ UNFPA/UNOPS, 3-6 First regular session New York, 3 - 6 February 2020 Posted Jan 23 Caribbean countries are expending up to 50% of revenues on food imports. Find out more from the FOCUS Magazine: http://bit.ly/f19-3 International Day of Women and Girls in Science 11 Executive Board of UN-Women, First regular session 14 New York, 14 February 2020 World Day of Social Justice 20 Posted Jan 17 The average poverty rate among persons in the Caribbean over 65 years of age is 17% Find out more from the FOCUS Magazine: http://bit.ly/f15-2 International Mother Language Day 21 Gender data assessment in Saint Lucia he year 2019 was a pivotal prioritized improving its capacity to year for deepening the produce gender-disaggregated data commitment to gender to support evidence-based decision- Tequality and the autonomy of all making. women and girls in the Caribbean. Reviews of two major gender To support these efforts, ECLAC platforms were undertaken; the Caribbean provided technical regional review of the Montevideo assistance to Saint Lucia in the Strategy for Implementation of the form of a gender data assessment, Regional Gender Agenda within which identified difficulties in the Sustainable Development producing gender statistics and Framework, and the 25th review of which formed the basis for targeted the Beijing Declaration and Platform recommendations. for Action. the challenges, Saint Lucia has made The assessment identified the significant progress in producing The underlying frameworks of both need for a gendered perspective in gender statistics. platforms encourage Governments decision making. It was suggested to adopt and implement policies, that poor inter-agency coordinating laws and strategies to promote mechanisms, as well as insufficient gender equality and the rights of all and inefficient use of human, women and girls, as well as to make physical, and financial resources available gender data and statistics were having a negative effect on to address gender inequalities. the production of gender statistics. The assessment also examined Saint It is in this context that the Lucia’s capacity to collect, analyze, government of Saint Lucia is produce and manage gender- redoubling its efforts to achieve disaggregated data, in accordance gender equality. In order to measure with the CARICOM Gender Equality the different needs of women, girls, Indicators (GEI) model. ECLAC’s men and boys, the government has assessment concluded that, despite 4 | The Hummingbird Saint Lucia census in May he Government of Saint Lucia is to carry out their duties. conduct a population and housing Tcensus in May 2020 that should assist He reported that the enumerators were in determining the strategic policies and undergoing a significant amount of training, programmes for the next decade. in order to adequately prepare them to carry out the mammoth exercise, and to The Honourable Prime Minister Allen ensure the most accurate collection of data. Chastanet said that the aim of the census is to have a comprehensive assessment of “The information which you will be the country and “to allow for the accurate providing is protected by law and you have delivery of initiatives to remedy some of the highest assurance that any information the ills in the society, such as poverty, which you provide, will be dealt with in inequality, substandard healthcare and the the strictest confidence. Please provide lack of adequate housing”. information which is as accurate as possible,” said PM Chastanet, addressing The census will be held on May 12, when an the public. estimated 550 enumerators will commence work islandwide. The Honourable PM The last decennial census carried out in Chastanet has urged all Saint Lucians to 2010. cooperate with the enumerators as they The Hummingbird | 5 The Hummingbird 6 | The Hummingbird Santiago Commitment approved by Caribbean and Latin American countries to accelerate efforts to fulfill the Regional Gender Agenda new milestone was achieved recently in Santiago, Chile, with the adoption of an agreement which should accelerate the fulfillment of the regional gender agenda for Latin America and Caribbean Acountries. Titled the `Santiago Commitment’, the document was accepted by the countries of the region during the XIV Regional Conference on Women in Latin American and the Caribbean, which was organized by ECLAC with the support of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), at ECLAC headquarters in Santiago, Chile, during 27 to 31 January 2020. Read More The Hummingbird | 7 Santiago Commitment approved by Caribbean and Latin American countries to accelerate efforts to fulfill the Regional Gender Agenda The Santiago Commitment reaffirms In particular, the agreement health services; to foster women’s the validity of the Regional Gender envisages “increasing the allocation labour participation in the areas of Agenda encompassing more than of financial, technical and human science, technology, engineering 40 years of commitments made resources according to national and mathematics; to encourage by the governments of the region. realities, capacities and legislation, gender-responsive budgeting, This new agreement establishes a gender-responsive budgeting, reduce the wage gap; and to series of measures to accelerate and monitoring and accountability, increase women’s representation in the effective implementation of with a view to strengthening decision-making processes. the Beijing Platform for Action the implementation of equality and the Regional Gender Agenda policies in the framework of the Other highlights were the measures in the broader context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable aimed at strengthening the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” production of gender statistics Development. These measures at national level and increasing include strengthening gender Among the 48 points of the the financial contribution and institutions and architectures document, some that stand cooperation with specific attention through the prioritization of out include the commitments to small island developing States machineries for the advancement to eradicate gender violence; and middle-income countries. of women, in addition to gender to provide universal access to mainstreaming at the different levels comprehensive health services, During the closing session of the of the State. including sexual and reproductive XIV Conference, ECLAC’s Executive Caribbean attendants of the XIV regional Conference on Women and the ECLAC Executive Secretary, Alicia Bárcena. 8 | The Hummingbird We are very clear about what we want: we want equality, that nothing be done about us, without us... Alicia Bárcena - Executive Secretary of ECLAC Secretary, Alicia Bárcena, highlighted Noel Vaeza, the Regional Director and Tobago for the Advancement that “we are very clear about what of UN Women for the Americas and of Women; the CEDAW Committee we want: we want equality, that the Caribbean. Ms. Vaeza stated that of Trinidad and Tobago; CariMan; nothing be done about us, without during the XIV Conference “we have Caribbean Women in Leadership; us. We want a world without femicide, confirmed that progress towards networks of rural women producers without violence, with equality in gender equality has been made in and grassroots organizations; terms of wages and other economic Latin America and the Caribbean. members of academia, such matters. The time has come to change Yet there is still much to be done. as the University of the West the gender scheme in our countries We women cannot wait any longer. Indies and agencies; funds and and put an end to patriarchy as a The Santiago Commitment, which programmes of the UN system; and societal model. The time has come to is the outcome of this Conference, intergovernmental organizations,