Conference to help shape plan for CEDAW

| 20/03/2014

(CNS): As the Cayman Islands Government takes the final steps towards meeting the requirements for the UK to extend the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) to the Cayman Islands, the gender affairs minister says she is seeking input from the community towards that goal. Hosting the ministry's first conference on women’s affairs, Tara Rivers said the day-long event on 29 March will provide a forum for the public to contribute and discuss CEDAW and the social, cultural, economic and political challenges that girls and women experience in Cayman.

Following the passage of the gender discrimination law by, the former gender affairs minister, Mike Adams, during the previous UDP administration in December last year, the ministry asked the UK to extend CEDAW and the National Conference on Women is designed to help in that goal.

“Through an interactive agenda, the morning session will provide an opportunity for attendees to discuss the key areas relating to CEDAW in focus groups and for the Ministry to collect qualitative data regarding priority issues and any potential areas of concern,” officials stated.

During the afternoon session, Dr Glenda P. Simms, a CEDAW expert from Jamaica who served on the United Nations CEDAW Committee for four years, will deliver a keynote address focusing on how we can all become ‘Architects of Change’ in our personal lives and in our society.

Lady Rabia, a well-known local performer and advocate for gender equality, will also deliver a spoken word performance, and Rivers will address attendees on the government’s commitments to empowering women and promoting gender equality.

“We welcome and value the contributions of all attendees and will use these diverse perspectives to help inform the implementation plan for CEDAW and Government’s work to promote gender equality in the Cayman Islands,” Rivers said.  

The gender affairs unit has planned the conference as part of honouring women month, which is observed in March each year, and participants may attend the full day or just the morning or afternoon session. There is no registration fee and complimentary continental breakfast and lunch are included, However, spaces are limited and pre-registration is essential. Registration forms are available online or from the Government Administration Building.

The conference takes place at the Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort Governor's Ballroom on Saturday, 29 March 2014. For more information, please visit www.genderequality.gov.ky or contact the Gender Affairs Unit at genderequality@gov.ky or on 244-3226.

See more details and registration form below.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Another day for all the too civil servAnts to be out of the office. Zzzzzzzzz. 

  2. Anonymous says:

    But if men wanted to have such a conference as to how to promote themselves, then that'd be sexist.

    • Anonymous says:

      Do you believe that men are discriminated against for higher positions in companies? This is to highlight discrimination that still exists in the workplace….you should go

      • Anonymous says:

        Evidnetly by the time this lot are finished they will be discriminated against.

  3. Anonymous says:

    men and women are not equal but should be treated with equality….

    • Anonymous says:

      Tell that to the cayman judges in a divorce settlement. They give it all to the female.

      • Anonymous says:

        Quite the opposite unfortunately.

      • Anonymous says:

        Which judge and lawyer did you use? I would like the recommendation. I am female and was declared the bread winner. Now paying ex husband monthly maintenance. I would like this reversed! 

    • Anonymous says:

      It must be understood that there is a difference between being equal and being the same.

      Men and women are not the same.  There are many differences.  But this does not mean that we are not equal.  Until we accept that we are equal we will never be able to truly celebrate our differences.

  4. Anonymous says:

    I think this is a very relevant topic for working in Cayman today. All too often I hear from management is that "you pay someone what you think they will work for". This is not treating people fairly or equally. Unfortunately, unless there is strong legislation in place to support the victims of this inequality I believe companies will continue to discriminate on the basis of gender and nationality.

  5. Anonymous says:

    As the world drinks the feminist kool aid and imposes idiotic female quotas on boards of companies, Cayman has a great opportunity to benefit from regulatory arbitrage by ensuring that companies registered and listed in Cayman are not fettered in selecting the best directors available to it because of their chromosomes.

    • Anonymous says:

      If you really want the best person for the job then you should clearly see that inequality exists today. That is unless you really think men are better than women in these positions and that is why the inequality is there….in which case, even more reason for this conference to spread the awareness of discrimination!

      • Anonymous says:

        The poster wanted the ensure a company could pick best person for the job regardless of sex, not be forced to pass over the best candidate to fulfil some silly quota based on sex. 

      • Anonymous says:

        Funny, when it comes to why Caymanians are not in positions one dares not suggest that it is due to discrimination, but get on the feminist bandwagon and you can say anything.

    • Anonymous says:

      Idiot!