Female Senators Attend Global Power Conference

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Tuesday, 19 June 2012 02:30

By caribarena news

Antigua St. John’s - Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Social Transformation, Consumer Affairs & Local Government Senator Malaka Parker, and Senate Minority Leader Senator Gail Christian, were among nine female Members of Parliament from the Caribbean who met in Washington DC as part of a new global network of women leaders.

The June 10 to 14 meeting was organised by GlobalPOWER® Caribbean-Partnership of Women Elected/Appointed Representatives, under the theme “Building Sustainable Partnerships for Women’s Human Rights” at the Center for Women Policy Studies.
 
The conference, which for the first time brought together women parliamentarians from the same region, was intent on formulating an action plan to address the serious issue of International Trafficking of Women and Girls.
 

Other issues related to the human rights of women and girls also featured prominently, such as Violence against Women and Girls, and the Issues surrounding the Reproductive Health and Rights of Women and Girls with an HIV/AIDS focus.
 
According to Senator Parker, the objective of the Center’s sixth GlobalPOWER® Caribbean was to propel women Members of Parliament in the Caribbean to advance anti-trafficking laws, policies and programmes that focus on protecting affected women and girls.
 
She applauded government’s action to highlight the issue of Human Trafficking by enacting legislation to include stiff penalties for perpetrators. Antigua & Barbuda passed the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act in 2010.
 
However, Parker cautioned that the work was just beginning and stressed the need for vigilance and for total and fearless implementation of the law on this matter.
 
She also acknowledged the specialised training being offered the police in the fight to eradicate this modern day slave trade and urged the setting up of the Anti Human Trafficking Task Force to provide the necessary oversight and management of the implementation process.
 
Senator Christian, along with other opposition Parliamentarians who attended the session, applauded the move by the institute to include members of the opposition in the development issues.
 
However, she said that although the government had moved swiftly to enact the legislation and demonstrated a level of commitment to respond to the internal call, the educating and sensitising of the public and stakeholders should be an ongoing process.
 
In agreeing with the need for unity as the key ingredient in addressing human trafficking, Senator Christian and other parliamentarians present committed to making the enforcement and advancement of the law their joint responsibility.
 
The Center for Women Policy Institute regards the leadership training to be a resounding success and pledge continued access and support to the female Parliamentarians as they returned to their respective countries to contribute to fighting the scourge of human trafficking and the protection of the human rights of women and girls.
 
The other Caribbean representatives were Senator Lyndira Oudit, Vice President of the Senate - The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago; Senator Vynnette Frederick - St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Senator Marlene Malahoo Forte –Jamaica; Minister Alvina Reynolds - St. Lucia; Senator Irene Sandiford-Garner of Barbados; Minister Verna St. Rose Greaves - The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago; and Senator Pulcheria Teul of Belize.
 

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They were joined by other facilitators both from civic society and government. All cited the need for a bipartisan, united approach to address the human trafficking trade and attendees at the forum agreed that the Caribbean as a Region should partner to stem access to the Region as a transient or final destination for those being trafficked.

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