INAUGURAL AWARDS EVENT A RESOUNDING SUCCESS Kingston – The inaugural Gender Equality Awards, hosted by the Excessive Fee of Canada in Jamaica, had been a convincing success. The occasion celebrated important achievements in pursuing gender equality in Jamaica, with twelve (12) awards offered to people, non-public sector, and native organizations for his or her extraordinary contributions to advancing gender equality and girls’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, November 2, 2023, at a gala occasion attended by advocates, influencers, and organizations devoted to making a extra inclusive and equitable society. Her Excellency 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 boost 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 exceptional awardees right here at present. We eagerly anticipate persevering with our partnership with you,” said Excessive Commissioner Tudakovic. The keynote tackle was delivered by Senator the Honorable Kamina Johnson-Smith, Minister of Overseas Affairs and Overseas Commerce, on behalf of Hon. Olivia Grange, Minister for Tradition, Gender, Leisure, and Sport. In her tackle, the Honorable 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 50 nominations throughout ten classes, with two classes chosen internally by the Excessive Fee crew. Notable Award Highlights: • The BIG Influence Award for a Canada Fund for Native Initiatives undertaking was offered to Jamaican Ladies in Espresso (JAWIC) for his or her distinctive dedication to advancing gender equality. • The BIG Influence Award for Canada’s Worldwide Help Mission was offered to the Ladies’s Voice and Management Caribbean Mission 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 Staff Union (JHWU), for her exceptional achievements in selling girls’s empowerment. • Rising Changemakers Award recipient, 20-year-old UWI pupil 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 girls entrepreneurs and women-owned companies ahead. • As a non-governmental group, the Jamaica Community of Rural Producers was acknowledged for his or her evidenced contributions to enhancing financial empowerment and entrepreneurship amongst girls. • 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 girls and youngsters 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, group 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 Stream Basis had been acknowledged for his or her excellent work 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 Variety went to the Equality for All Basis for his or her dedication to the LGBTQ+ group. One of the crucial poignant moments of the night was the presentation of the Trailblazer and Lifetime Achievement in Gender Equality Award to Linette Vassell. Canada acknowledged 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 by these Gender Equality Awards, which honor the efforts of companions and advocates who share our values of gender equality and the empowerment of girls and ladies. Canada helps 5 regional Caribbean initiatives, together with Ladies’s Voice and Management Caribbean and the ParlAmericas undertaking, which assists the Bicameral Caucus of Ladies Parliamentarians in Jamaica. Notably, the CFLI has contributed 910,000 CAD throughout 30 impactful initiatives, with a formidable allocation of 200,000 CAD introduced to assist eight deserving initiatives this yr. Over the previous 5 years, Canada has invested roughly 30 million {dollars} in numerous gender equality initiatives in Jamaica. These initiatives embody the Canada Fund for Native Initiatives (CFLI), the WE-Speak undertaking centered on lowering gender-based violence, the SAIL-SRHR Mission, the Social Justice (So-JUST) Mission, the Jamaica Gender Evaluation by the World Financial institution, and the Caribbean Coverage Analysis Institute (CAPRI) examine on gender-based violence in information media.
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