Minister Albert-Poyotte Stresses Need for Gender Balance, Support for Young Men

While Saint Lucia has made significant strides in advancing gender equality, Minister for Labour and Gender Relations, Virginia Albert-Poyotte, has acknowledged that “there is still room for improvement.” 

As the island prepares to observe International Women’s Day under the theme, For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment, on March 8, she highlighted the ongoing efforts needed to ensure true equality for women and men alike.

This year’s observance holds particular significance as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, the landmark 1995 United Nations conference that shaped global efforts toward women’s equality.

Reflecting on its lasting impact, Albert-Poyotte, who attended the conference, noted: “It was this document that came out of this conference that laid the platform globally for advancement and promotion of equality between men and women all over the world.”

She praised Saint Lucia’s progress, noting that “women are actually taking their rightful places in society,” but stressed that there is still much work to be done. 

As part of this year’s celebration, the government is producing a documentary to highlight Saint Lucia’s achievements and challenges in advancing gender equality, particularly in education, health, and the workplace.

A key aspect of this year’s observance will be a new collaborative focus on the role of men in supporting women’s empowerment. The gender affairs minister stressed the importance of both men and women working together to create a more balanced society.

She also highlighted the Department of Gender Affairs’ success in securing over $4 million in international funding for training programmes, skills development, and initiatives promoting women in agriculture. That was made possible thanks to the efforts of the department and its international partners, including Canada, the United Nations, the French government, and Taiwan.

A major legislative milestone in Saint Lucia’s gender equality journey was the enactment of the Domestic Violence Bill in 2022. Albert-Poyotte described it as “one of the most progressive legislations in the Caribbean” and noted that it has received regional and international recognition.

“Even at the United Nations level, we speak to that,” she added.

However, the minister voiced concern about the challenges faced by young men in the society. 

“What we are seeing is that with the heavy emphasis on women, it is actually causing some level of marginalisation for men,” she explained. 

Albert-Poyotte called for greater focus on engaging young men, particularly those at risk, to ensure they can contribute meaningfully to national development. 

“I am not happy to see the number of young men, talented young men with a lot of energy and skills sitting at the Bordelais Correctional Facility,” she said. “We have to find a better place for them to contribute to national development.”

She stressed the importance of addressing the needs of both women and men in creating a more inclusive society.

“We have to see how we promote rights, how we advance equality, and how we empower women so that they can support especially our young men who are falling by the wayside,” Albert-Poyotte said.