The Bahamas reaffirms commitment to gender equality and advancement of women
tribune242
EVEN while lauding progress on gender equity in education and employment opportunities, Minister of State for Social Development Loretta Butler-Turner said that with the rapid advancement in information and communication technology (lCT) shaping the global environment, there is still much work to do in the Bahamas to increase the level of participation by women and girls in the fields of education, training, science and technology.
Mrs. Turner was addressing the 55th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which convened at the UN under the theme "access and participation of women and girls in education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women's equal access to full employment and decent work." During her address, Mrs. Turner reaffirmed the commitment of the Government of The Bahamas to globally recognized goals for access for women and girls to education and employment and urged the elimination of gender barriers in order to empower women and girls to fully participate in the scientific and technical global environment.
The minister said that the Educational and Employment Acts of The Bahamas ensure equal educational rights for boys and girls and full employment and decent work for men and women.
"Increasingly girls are pursuing subjects that have traditionally been regarded as 'male' subjects in response to the changing demands of the local labour market," she reported.
"One of The Bahamas' success stories in promoting non-traditional educational training and employment opportunities for young people is the establishment of The Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI), which has seen greater numbers of females seeking careers in agriculture, construction engineering, electronics, and automotive and electrical engineering and technology."
Mrs. Turner also pointed out that a significant number of women currently hold high-level administrative and faculty positions throughout the educational system of The Bahamas, including several leading associate and assistant professors in the natural sciences and environmental studies and some who have served as Chair of the Natural Sciences Division at the College of The Bahamas.
"While these are notable achievements, I am well aware that this is not enough," the minister said. "With the rapid advancement in information and communication technology (lCT) shaping the global environment, we still have much work to do in The Bahamas to increase women and girls participation in the field of education, training, science and technology. An overwhelming number of female graduates are still inclined to pursue careers in the humanities, social sciences, and judicial fields."
February 28, 2011
tribune242
A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.
