THE first all-female sitting of Parliament is slated to take place on February 21, 2023.

This was announced by Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange during a recent sitting of the House of Representatives.

She was closing the debate on the motion for the amendment of the Standing Orders to establish the first Women’s Parliamentary Bicameral Caucus.

Grange said the sitting will see the participation of young women between the ages of 18 and 25.

“Working closely with ParlAmericas, from February 21 leading into International Women’s Day [on March 8] we will have the first all-women sitting of Parliament,” Minister Grange said.

She said all Members of Parliament were written to and asked to nominate a young woman between the age of 18 and 25.

“We have filled the space, and last weekend we started the training and we have some really bright young women — and I am looking forward to that sitting,” the minister said.

Members of the House approved the motion for the establishment of the first Women’s Parliamentary Bicameral Caucus. The group will comprise a sessional select committee sitting jointly with a similarly established committee of the Senate.

“Today is a historic day. We have joined many other parliaments across the world which have set up bicameral women caucuses that have served their Parliament well and their country, and I know that this will serve Jamaica well. I am just happy; it crosses the political divide and it’s a combination of the Upper and the Lower House, and every single member of this House can be proud that we are part of history,” Grange said.

The objectives of the bicameral caucus include facilitating networking, building solidarity, promoting constructive dialogue on issues of importance among women parliamentarians across party lines and Chambers, and providing caucus members with professional development opportunities to further strengthen their leadership and capacity to participate in the legislative process in a gender-responsive manner.

ParlAmericas is the inter-parliamentary institution that promotes parliamentary diplomacy in the inter-American system, convening the national legislatures of the 35 states of the Americas and the Caribbean.

– JIS