KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister Olivia Grange says the advancement of women and girls in Jamaica is a top priority for the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.

In a release on Monday, Minister Grange shared that through the portfolio agency, the Bureau of Gender Affairs (BGA), the ministry’s work is guided by a legislative framework, which includes “a robust and enabling policy agenda to provide protection and support for women and girls.”

Grange was speaking at the International Women’s Day (IWD) commemorative church service at the Gregory Park Baptist Church in St Catherine under the local IWD theme, ‘Investing in Women and Girls in Leadership to Accelerate Gender Equality, Equity and Socio-economic Empowerment.’

Indicating that the Government has implemented the National Policy for Gender Equality; the Sexual Harassment (Protection and Prevention) Act, 2021; the Domestic Violence (Amendment) Act, 2023, and the National Strategic Action Plan to Eliminate Gender-based Violence (NSAP-GBV) in Jamaica, Minister Grange says the regulatory framework forms a “huge backdrop to facilitate meaningful investment in our women and our girls.”

Additionally, the Minister said a policy was introduced to ensure that the composition of all government Boards has a minimum 30 per cent representation of either women or men to balance the scale. Grange maintained that investing in women and girls is non-negotiable and intended “to accelerate change towards achieving gender equality, equity and socio-economic empowerment”.

“The investment fosters social policy development, extensive research and sensitisation and awareness raising on a vast array of gender-specific issues for mentorship, coaching and capacity-building,” she pointed out, noting that the rise of persons in female leadership positions is ample evidence of the achievements gained over several decades and serves as an example of what is possible when there is support and encouragement for women.