Minister Albert-Poyotte Stresses Need for Gender Balance, Support for Young Men

While Saint Lucia has made significant strides in advancing gender equality, Minister for Labour and Gender Relations, Virginia Albert-Poyotte, has acknowledged that “there is still room for improvement.”  As the island prepares to observe International Women’s Day under the theme, For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment, on March 8, she highlighted the ongoing efforts needed to ensure true equality for women and men alike. This year’s observance holds particular significance as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, the landmark 1995 United Nations conference that shaped global efforts toward women’s equality. Reflecting on its lasting impact, Albert-Poyotte, who attended the conference, noted: “It was this document that came out of this conference that laid the platform globally for advancement and promotion of equality between men and women all over the world.” She praised Saint Lucia’s progress, noting that “women are actually taking their rightful places in society,” but stressed that there is still much work to be done.  As part of this year’s celebration, the government is producing a documentary to highlight Saint Lucia’s achievements and challenges in advancing gender equality, particularly in education, health, and the workplace. A key aspect of this year’s...