KINGSTON, October 5 (JIS):

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, says Jamaica needs more gender-responsive budgeting.

“Public budgets should integrate commitments towards achieving gender equality. This is necessary, not only to adequately address the differing needs of citizens but to also assist in avoiding the further exacerbation of existing gender inequalities,” she said.

Ms. Grange pointed out that the National Study on the Economic Cost of Violence Against Women and Girls, launched in March 2023, highlighted the need to allocate budgetary support to fund initiatives to provide essential services to affected women and children.

She was addressing the Atlantic Council conference hosted in partnership with UN Women at the Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston on Thursday (October 5).

The conference was held under the theme ‘Advancing Caribbean Development through Women’s Empowerment’.

Ms. Grange reasoned that women’s rights and gender equality cannot be realised without female economic empowerment.

“We cannot pay lip service when it comes to efforts aimed at achieving women’s empowerment and expect that our society will ultimately thrive,” she maintained.

The Minister added that Jamaica’s unemployed population continues to be predominated by women, pointing out that even where they are employed, they have consistently earned less, occupied less secure jobs and are more likely to be employed in the informal sector.

“Investing in women not only promotes greater employment and income but also leads to sustainable economic growth in sectors such as health and education, where women generally spend more income,” Ms. Grange explained.

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For his part, Head of Cooperation of the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Jamaica, Ancieto Rodriguez Ruiz, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to eliminating violence against women and girls.

He said gender equality is a core value of the EU and an imperative to economic growth, prosperity, good governance, peace and security.

In March 2020, the EU in partnership with the United Nations launched the Spotlight Initiative, valued €8 million, which aimed to tackle family violence.

“Violence against any person is wrong… especially violence against women [which] robs this country of the productive capacities of half of its citizens,” Mr. Ruiz stated.