Canada shines light on gender equality champions in Jamaica

The inaugural Gender Equality Awards, hosted by the Excessive Fee of Canada in Jamaica, had been a powerful success.

The occasion celebrated vital achievements within the pursuit of gender equality in Jamaica, with 12 awards offered to people, non-public sector and native organizations for his or her extraordinary contributions to the development of gender equality and ladies’s empowerment.

Moderated by Canada’s #SheLeadsHere Advocate, Dainalyn Swaby, the recipients of the 2023 Gender Equality Awards had been introduced by the Excessive Fee of Canada on Thursday, at a gala occasion on the Jamaica Pegasus Lodge attended by advocates, influencers, and organizations devoted to making a extra inclusive and equitable society.

Emina Tudakovic, Excessive Commissioner of Canada, expressed her profound appreciation for the award winners’ unwavering dedication to advancing gender equality.

“In an more and more interconnected world, Canada is dedicated to collaborating with Jamaica to reinforce its capability to advertise gender equality throughout all sectors. We take satisfaction in acknowledging these trailblazers of gender equality and lengthen our heartfelt congratulations to all of the outstanding awardees right here as we speak. We eagerly anticipate the continuation of our partnership with you,” said Excessive Commissioner Tudakovic.

The keynote handle was delivered by Senator Kamina Johnson-Smith, Minister of International Affairs and International Commerce, on behalf of Olivia Grange, Minister for Tradition, Gender, Leisure, and Sport.

In her handle, the Minister congratulated the nominees and awardees for his or her excellent contributions to closing the gender hole and reaffirmed Jamaica’s dedication to addressing gender inequality in all areas.

The Excessive Fee acquired a complete of fifty nominations throughout 10 classes, with two classes chosen internally by the Excessive Fee group.

Notable Award Highlights:

• The BIG Affect Award for a Canada Fund for Native Initiatives venture was offered to Jamaican Ladies in Espresso (JAWIC) for his or her distinctive dedication to advancing gender equality.
• The BIG Affect Award for Canada’s Worldwide Help Undertaking was offered to the Ladies`s Voice and Management Caribbean Undertaking for his or her tangible and impactful leads to selling gender equality.
• The Ladies’s Empowerment and Management Award acknowledged Shirley Pryce, founder and president of the Jamaica Family Employees Union (JHWU), for her outstanding achievements in selling ladies’s empowerment.
• Rising Changemakers Award recipient, 20-year-old UWI scholar, Amanda Slew, was celebrated as an inspiring younger visionary driving transformative change within the gender equality panorama.
• The Financial institution of Nova Scotia was awarded for his or her Scotiabank’s Ladies Initiative, propelling ladies entrepreneurs and women-owned companies ahead.
• As a non-governmental organisation, the Jamaica Community of Rural Producers was recognised for his or her evidenced contributions to enhancing financial empowerment and entrepreneurship amongst ladies.
• The Gender-Based mostly Violence Prevention and Response Award acknowledged organizations and people making impactful contributions on this space. The organizational award was given to Eve for Life, which has been supporting younger ladies and kids affected by HIV/AIDS since 1998.  Pleasure Crawford, co-founder of Eve for Life, acquired a person award for her 45+ years of dedication to gender-based violence, neighborhood service, and advocacy. Retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, Novelette Grant, additionally acquired a person award for her commendable work together with coaching, facilitation, mentorship, and home, sexual, and gender-based violence intervention and prevention.
• The Institute of Gender and Improvement Research Regional Coordinating Workplace, the Mona Unit, Dr. Shelly-Ann Weeks, and Her Move Basis had been acknowledged for his or her excellent work in advancing gender equality in training.
• The Media and Gender Equality Award was offered to WMW Jamaica and the Jamaican Dadz Podcast.
• The PRIDE Award for Inclusivity and Range went to the Equality for All Basis for his or her dedication to the LGBTQ+ neighborhood.
• The Trailblazer and Lifetime Achievement in Gender Equality Award was offered to Linette Vassell for her life’s work of unwavering dedication to the reason for gender equality

In her gracious and emotional acceptance speech, Linette prolonged her heartfelt gratitude to Canada for this first-time recognition of her work and that of her esteemed colleagues. She noticed these awards as a daring and welcome step in the direction of reenergizing the collective motion in the direction of an equitable society.

The awards occasion concluded with a particular presentation of the Canada-Jamaica partnership for gender equality award to the Bureau of Gender Affairs for his or her shared dedication and powerful partnership with the Authorities of Canada.

Canada’s steadfast dedication to advancing gender equality in Jamaica is exemplified via these Gender Equality Awards, which honour the efforts of companions and advocates who share our values of gender equality and the empowerment of ladies and ladies. Canada gives help for 5 regional Caribbean tasks, together with Ladies’s Voice and Management Caribbean and the ParlAmericas venture, which assists the Bicameral Caucus of Ladies Parliamentarians in Jamaica. Notably, the CFLI has contributed 910,000 CAD throughout 30 impactful tasks, with a powerful allocation of 200,000 CAD introduced to help eight deserving tasks this yr.

Over the previous 5 years, Canada has invested roughly 30 million Canadian {dollars} in a variety of gender equality initiatives in Jamaica. These initiatives embrace the Canada Fund for Native Initiatives (CFLI), the WE-Discuss venture targeted on lowering gender-based violence, the SAIL-SRHR Undertaking, the Social Justice (So-JUST) Undertaking, the Jamaica Gender Evaluation by the World Financial institution, and the Caribbean Coverage Analysis Institute (CAPRI) examine on gender-based violence in information media.