National conference on women to 'inspire change'

The Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs will host its first National Conference on Women this month. 

The conference comes on the heels of the Cayman Islands government’s December 2013 request for the United Kingdom to extend the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, known as CEDAW, to Cayman. 

“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,” said Tara Rivers, Cabinet Minister for Education, Employment and Gender Affairs, who will address the conference on the government’s commitments to empowering women and promoting gender equality. 

The event, which is being held as part of Honoring Women Month, takes place at the Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort on Saturday, March 29, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

According to organizers, with the theme “Inspiring Change,” the conference will bring together women and men of differing ages and cultural backgrounds to address social, cultural, economic and political challenges facing girls and women in the Cayman Islands. 

Participants can attend the full day or only the morning or afternoon session. There is no registration fee and complimentary continental breakfast and lunch are included, but spaces are limited and pre-registration is essential, the organizers said.  

In the morning session, attendees can discuss key areas relating to Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women in focus groups and the ministry will collect qualitative data regarding priority issues and any potential areas of concern.  

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 the keynote address focusing on how people can become “Architects of Change” in their personal lives and in society. 

Lady Rabia, a well-known local performer and advocate for gender equality, will also deliver a spoken word performance. 

Registration forms are available at www.genderequality.gov.ky or at the Government Administration Building and must be submitted to the Gender Affairs Unit by Friday, March 21.