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Antigua and Barbuda champions gender equality at major United Nations conference
President of Parliament’s Upper House in Antigua and Barbuda, the Hon. Alincia Williams-Grant is leading a three member delegation to the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women taking place from March 10 – 21 at the United Nations in New York.
After meeting with Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Walton Webson and members of the Mission, Senator Williams-Grant delivered statements this morning on behalf of Antigua and Barbuda as well as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) at the General Assembly.
Her statement on behalf of the regional body is on account of Antigua and Barbuda’s chairmanship of the Caricom Caucus of Permanent Representatives to the United Nations for the next two months.
In her national statement, Senator Williams Gant elaborated on a number of achievements that is distinguishing the country’s efforts in advancing the principles of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the landmark document that sets out the framework for achieving gender equality and women empowerment globally.
The meeting will undertake a review of progress of the main goals of the document so far and assess current challenges.
Senator Williams Grant proudly reflected on her country’s key achievements to include the establishment of the Support and Referral Centre, the creation of the Entrepreneurial Development Fund and the opening of the 4th landed Campus of the University of the West Indies.
She said they serve as tangible examples of Antigua and Barbuda’s committed efforts to go beyond the goals of gender equality and empowerment but also to create opportunities for the social and economic advancement of women in Antigua and Barbuda.
“Antigua and Barbuda has been proactive in tackling gender-based violence against women and girls through the Support and Referral Centre established in 2017 which allows women to access medical, legal and psycho-social services at one convenient location,” she told colleagues.
On the EDF, Senator Williams Grant revealed that women are playing a phenomenal role in the success story that the initiative has become by taking advantage of the financial assistance, training and opportunities to start new micro-enterprises it affords.
“Currently, 47% of the Fund’s active clients are women, most of whom have successfully applied for and received loans to support their businesses,” she stated.
However, she acknowledged that there is still work to be done, particularly in addressing the existing gender disparities in Antigua and Barbuda.
“Despite the progress, women in Antigua and Barbuda continue to face challenges, including limited representation in parliament, with only 5.6% of seats held by women as of February 2024 .
Additionally, the country still lacks comprehensive data on key gender-related indicators, such as violence against women and unpaid care work,” Senator Williams Grant lamented.
This morning’s session begins a packed agenda of meetings for Senator Williams Grant, who is leading the country’s delegation on behalf of the Minister of Social and Urban Transformation, the Hon, Rawdon Turner.
Her delegation includes Executive Director of the Directorate of Gender Affairs, Jamie Saunders and Programme Officer, T’Chell Looby-Antonio.
Ambassador Webson along with the other members of the Mission, Counsellor Glentis Thomas and First Secretaries Claxton Duberry and Asha Challenger, will also be involved in the various events and meetings of CSW 2025.
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All those in governmer peddaling the idea of gender equality are hypocritical and sick. Everyday Gaston is on his radio blasting and dehumanizing any woman who poses a challenge to his beliefs. The only woman who he believes is capable of anything good is his wife. He body shames women. He insults women. If he so believe in gender equality why did he tell Alincia Grant that she had a bigger ego than competence? Why did he get rid of Samantha and replace her with a young man. Why did he get rid of Miss Hurst from the senate. Is he interested in gender equality in words only? It is time that hypocrisy becomes a criminal offence. Not that laboRATs would be frightened. Criminality is the norm for them.
Hope they bring back real solutions to support the women in Antigua and Barbuda.
Good to see the government taking women’s issues seriously. Let’s hope they walk the talk when they return.
The Commission on the Status of Women is a powerful platform. Let’s hope Antigua makes an impact.
More of this please! Women’s rights need to be prioritized in Antigua too.
I hope the President of the Senate pushes for more support for women in our communities when they return.
Antigua has a chance to lead the region in advancing women’s rights—let’s hope we’re up for it.
In Antigua and Barbuda,it is okay for Gaston Browne to ridicule women. He gets away with it, for he could do wrongs.The people have become so gullible and love freebs.
It is an extremely important topic.
Dear senator one very important factor you need to get going is a shelter or home for these battered and abused women and girls. From what I understand there’s no such facility., as far as I know. So if they are living in the same house as the abuser at the end of the day they still have to go back to that toxic environment..
Thanks for your representation to the UN on the behalf of our people!