Let’s debate Gender Policy

A mere 68 words in an 18,400 word speech, the paragraph summarily "disses" some two decades of "previous attempts, to research and persistent lobbying by activists (both within and outside of the Government) to put gender on the agenda."

According to the text in the Budget Speech, the Government has decided to withdraw the document from circulation because of certain recommendations contained therein, "to which the Government does not and will not subscribe."

This contradicts the full-page press advertisement of the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs, published in early May, which spoke to respecting the national dialogue on the Draft National Gender Policy, as "mandatory for good democratic governance".

To recognise the need to develop a Gender Policy, which the Government does, is to acknowledge that inequity exists between men and women that has nothing to do with biological differences between the sexes.

Rather, as has been borne out by research, inequity between sexes is the result of social, cultural and historical factors.

To attempt to redress this inequity, as a Gender Policy seeks to do, is to commit to nothing short of a revolution.

The Draft National Gender Policy addresses inequity in the following areas; macroeconomic policy; participation in the labour force; labour legislation; poverty alleviation; unremunerated (house) work; employment in agriculture; domestic and family life (very revolutionary); youth policy; gender-based violence; care of the aged; masculinity and manhood; education and human resource development; health and medicine (including female and male health concerns); the disabled.

It also addresses the co-ordination and implementation of the Gender Policy.

Among the 215 laudable recommendations advocated in the documents are:

•The collection of disaggregated data by gender (a given to monitor trends and develop programmes and policies to address inequity)

•The establishment of childcare and homework centres at employment establishments.

•Revision of the Industrial Relations Act to recognise domestic workers as workers (women’s groups were advocating for this since the early eighties).

•Improved protection for women and men threatened with domestic violence

•Review of the practice of paternity leave in local and foreign jurisdictions to prepare draft legislation for discussion and consideration.

•Development of a policy on small arms and their availability, distribution and use.

•Rationalisation of the salaries of all teachers paying by qualification and experience not by level of teaching.

•Gender equity in health insurance coverage

•The admission of a gender disaggregrated national census of people with disabilities.

Based on public reactions to date, the most controversial recommendations appear to be two calling on the state to:

1. Facilitate public debate on the promotion and protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms of all persons, irrespective of sexual preference or orientation; and

2. Review all issues (for example legal, medical, religious and /or cultural) relating to the termination of pregnancy.

I see nothing in these two recommendations to which any democratic government in the 21st century would be reluctant to commit.

Male and female homosexuals have and continue to make positive contributions to the cultural, economic, political and social life of this country.

As we strive to do develop and implement a strategic plan to transform this country from developing to developed country status, we cannot continue to ignore the rights and freedoms of this minority.

As a Catholic, I am guided by a credo to do "unto others as you would have them do unto you". I learnt it from my parents and it was reinforced during 13 years of Catholic schooling. Which is why I just cannot reconcile any religion’s refusal to deny homosexuals the same rights and freedoms as heterosexuals.

Illegal abortions and the consequences therefrom are grave public health issues that must be addressed.

In addition to the issues identified in the Draft Gender Policy, any review of abortion in Trinidad and Tobago must also consider the reasons why women choose to terminate a pregnancy.

As a feminist, I believe that "the human rights of women include their right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality, including sexual and reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence."

(Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 15 September 1995). While this view may be in the minority, it deserves to do be heard and considered.

In short, make the Draft National Gender Policy available for public review and let the debate and revolution begin.

Catherine Shepherd

Port-of-Spain