Jamaica

The motion to establish a women's caucus comprising lawmakers from both Houses of Parliament was approved during the sitting of the House of Representatives today. 

The core of the motion is to amend the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives, to allow for the bicameral caucus to be established as a sessional select committee to sit jointly with a similarly composed committee of the Senate.

Following Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ announcement last Thursday of an impending Cabinet shuffle early in the new year, members of Generation 2000 (G2K) – the Jamaica Labour Party’s young professional affiliates’ group – have backed calls for more women in senior political roles, including the executive and the general Parliament.

The introduction of a quota system in the political landscape to facilitate a greater number of women at all levels of politics, has been shunned by a group of young men, majority of whom stated that gender presented no barrier to political aspirations.

Within the national action plan for gender equity and sustainable development in Jamaica, Temporary Special Measures (TSMs) are to be established by the government in order to accelerate equality between men and women.

Delivering the Country Statement to the Assembly on Monday (March 9), Minister Falconer stated Jamaica’s commitment to a “transformative Post 2015 Agenda with the sustainable development goals and equal rights for women and girls at its core. We must ensure the creation of a holistic, practical and meaningful framework that builds on the positive foundation and conquers the scourges of poverty, marginalisation, gender-based violence, discrimination and social exclusion which affect so many women and girls.”