Bridgetown, 杏吧性吧 November 28th, 2018 (CDEMA) 鈥� The deepening of existing commitments on gender equality in the implementation of the Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Strategy 2014-2024, is the focus of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). The MOU signing took place on November 14, 2018 at the CDEMA Coordinating Unit in St. Michael, 杏吧性吧.听
Both CDEMA and UN Women have been engaged in on-going discussions on the treatment of gender in the context of Comprehensive Disaster Management. Over the years, the two entities have collaborated on response actions after a disaster event, most recently in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. The new MOU will however, aim to mainstream gender in the context of the CDM Strategy and its policies particularly for the CDEMA Participating States as they move forward with the CDM agenda.听
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Tonni Brodber, Deputy Representative, UN Women said, 鈥淯N Women looks forward to the continued partnership with CDEMA. The signing signals the move from adhoc partnerships to something more strategic that provides clarity and the benefits to the Caribbean. Gender equality looks not only at women, men, girls and boys, but at all vulnerabilities within the Caribbean that people face. We have to consider ways in which communities can be strengthened to reduce these vulnerabilities to create resilient Caribbean States and safer communities and lives鈥�.听
The partnership will also provide an opportunity to enhance capacities of key stakeholders within CDEMA Participating States to lead gender aware disaster responses and implement gender responsive disaster risk management programmes. It also recognises that the issues of gender are not only about women, but the treatment of vulnerabilities related to men, boys, and girls and how these are taken into account in the development of policies and strategies.
In his remarks, Executive Director of CDEMA, Ronald Jackson said that CDEMA also looks forward to working with UN Women going forward. 鈥淲e have long promoted and led discussions with regional partners on gender, as this is a cross-cutting theme in the CDM Strategy dating back to 2001 in the first iteration of the Strategy. It is important that we continue to reflect on gender as we seek to advance the resilience pathway where one of the pillars speaks to 鈥楨nhancing Social Protection Mechanisms for the Marginal and Most Vulnerable鈥�. This partnership also provides an opportunity to consider programmes not only on post impact, but also in planning arrangements going forward鈥�, said Jackson.
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A video of the MoU signing ceremony is viewable here:
For further information, please contact:
Clive Murray
Communication and Education Specialist
CARIBBEAN DISASTER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (CDEMA)
Resilience Way, Lower Estate
St. Michael
BARBADOS
Tel #: (246) 434-4880
Fax #: (246) 271-3660听
Email:
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