Minister of Youth, Family and Sports, Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo (second from right), chats with (from left), the UNFPA’s new Deputy??Director for the Caribbean Region, Hernando Agudelo; Assistant Representative of the UNFPA, Isiuwa Iyahen; outgoing UNFPA Director, Harold Robinson; and Permanent Secretary, Irvine Best.

Government is committed to ensuring that a National Policy on Gender is developed, says Minister of Youth, Family and Sports, Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo.

She made the comments last Friday during a courtesy call by outgoing Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Harold Robinson, and incoming Deputy Director for the Caribbean Region, Hernando Agudelo. ?????????????????????? ????

Dr. Byer Suckoo explained that once the gender policy was formulated, it would be laid in Parliament and debated. "There are still questions in people’s minds about gender, and we need to open up discussion at a national level and give them the opportunity to express themselves," she stated.

Mr. Robinson said UNFPA was pleased to have worked with the Ministry of Family on gender issues and he, along with Mr. Agudelo, promised that relationship would continue. The Minister replied there was still scope for greater collaboration in the areas of gender, HIV/AIDS and youth.??

The outgoing Director added that the Fund was working on a project where young people were being given important information to help them make informed choices regarding their reproduction.

Mr. Agudelo has worked in Europe and Asia and arrived in the Caribbean last week.??Mr. Robinson will leave for Brazil, after spending four and a half years here.

saustin@barbados.gov.bb

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