The Sustainable Development Goals have played a key role in the development of women

BASSETERRE, Saint-Kitts – The Deputy Minister of Health of the Island of Nevis Administration, the Honorable Hazel Brandy-Williams, congratulated the team of the Unity Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis for their role in the development of women.

“I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Prime Minister, the Honorable Timothy Harris, for giving me the opportunity to share your scene,” said the Hon. Brandy-Williams. “I applaud your efforts to have an inclusive approach to the development of women.

“You have placed women at the epicenter of decision making and that is indeed laudable,” she said. “Since the Honorable Vance Amory entrusted me with the task of preparing and overseeing the Department of Social Development, Community Development, Youth and Sports, I have had a passion for gender and gender equality. .

“In 2015, when the United Nations launched the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the development agenda, I was good to go and my platform was already set,” she said. “This platform has been the driving force behind organizing training for women not only in Saint Kitts and Nevis, but also regionally and internationally.

“In 2013 and 2014, we held conferences solely for the empowerment of women,” Ms. Brandy-Williams explained. “In 2015 and 2016, we hosted an SDG forum, and in 2017, we hosted the first biennial conference for women and girls, a sub-regional forum, and we reviewed Sustainable Development Goal No. 4, quality education and No. 5. , gender equality.

“In 2018, we organized a forum on mainstreaming international development in gender,” she said. “We looked at SDGs # 5, equality, # 8, decent work and economic growth, and # 10, reduce inequalities.

“In 2019, we hosted the second biennial forum for women and girls as well as for ministers of health and ministers of gender,” she added. “We then looked at Sustainable Development Goal # 3, good health and well-being, and again SDG # 5, gender equality.

“In 2019, we organized another forum with women and girls in peace and security using the south-south approach. “

In her concluding remarks, Ms. Brandy-Williams thanked the partners who helped fund the conferences. They included the United Nations for Women, the United Nations Population Fund, the Commonwealth Secretariat and ParlAmericas.