UN deal to boost women's leadership institute
Stabroek News
March 6, 2004
Minister within the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Bibi Shadick (left) receiving the signed agreement for gender equity capacity building from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative Jan Sand Sorensen (right) i
The operations of the Guyana Women's Leadership Insti-tute (GWLI) at Cove and John are to be strengthened, as well as the capacity of the National Resource and Documentation Centre for Gender and Development (NRDOCGD) at the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security.
These developments are expected to follow yesterday's signing of an agreement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) establishing the Phase Two Extension of the Project for Building Capacity for Gender Equity in Governance.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Rudy Insanally and UNDP Resident Representa-tive Jan Sand Sorensen signed the agreement in the offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Takuba Lodge. Also present at the signing was Minister within the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Bibi Shadick.
The ministry is executing the programme with co-funding by UNDP.
A release from the Human Services Ministry said yesterday that the agreement underscores government's commitment to the advancement of women and the promotion of gender equity through a process of building the capacity of women and the creation of gender awareness.
It is also a further demonstration of the UNDP's support for gender equity and the enhancement of the status of women, the release added.
The overarching aim of the Phase Two extension is to strengthen the GWLI in order to facilitate an expanded programme of gender sensitisation and leadership training at the institute, thereby promoting increased participation of women at all levels of policy and decision-making in the society.
The project will also strengthen the NRDOCGD's capacity to acquire and disseminate information in support of all levels of training, policy formulation, research and all other initiatives aimed at promoting gender equity and gender mainstreaming.
According to the ministry, the NRDOCGD's publication activities aim-ed at increasing networking and collaboration among women's organisations at the local and international levels will also be consolidated.
In addition, the project is expected to facilitate the extension of services that these two organisations provide to communities in rural and hinterland areas.