Housing Minister Pennelope Beckles hosts a Meeting with UN Women

The Honourable Pennelope Beckles recently hosted a meeting with UNWomen representatives, Tonni Ann Brodber and Je’nille Maraj, at the Ministry’s Conference Room, 44-46 South Quay, Port of Spain.

The discussions centred around a number of areas of mutual understanding and interest regarding gender focus strategic priorities, specifically data collection and statistics to support advocacy for gender responsive programmes and policies, targeted towards Gender Responsive Budgeting at the Ministry; mitigating the fallout from climate change with the adaptation of best practices to foster natural hazard resilience; support and promote smart, resilient, sustainable projects for our urban spaces, particularly at risk communities such as east Port of Spain, so that citizens, particularly women, can feel safe.

These kinds of strategic partnerships are important for Small Island Developing States that do not have the necessary resources including funding to implement strategies dedicated to gender equality and empowerment of women. As a past Chair of UNWomen, the Honourable Minister was quite appreciative of the discussions as it can lead to mutually beneficial outcomes.

Also in attendance at the meeting was Ms. Claire Davidson-Williams, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Nirmala Ramlogan, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Jayselle MaFarlane, Managing Director of the Housing Development Corporation and Ms. Kim Ling Choy Tin, Gender Focal Officer at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.