Saint Lucia has secured a second consecutive term on the Executive Committee of the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM), marking the first time the country has achieved back-to-back representation on the body.
Minister for Equity, Social Justice, Gender, Older Persons, Labour, Co-operatives and Consumer Affairs Emma Hippolyte was elected to the commission’s Executive Committee during its 40th Assembly of Delegates, held in Washington, DC., last week.
She was elected alongside representatives from Guyana, Jamaica, Guatemala and Peru. Uruguay was elected president of the commission, while Grenada, Canada and Paraguay were chosen as vice presidents.
The Executive Committee provides leadership and strategic direction for the commission – the principal forum of the Organisation of American States dedicated to promoting women’s rights and gender equality across the Americas – between meetings of the Assembly of Delegates.
The election extends Saint Lucia’s presence in the commission’s leadership following the tenure of former Gender Relations Minister Dr Virginia Albert-Poyotte, who served as a vice president during the previous term.
According to a statement from the government, the latest election also reflects increased Caribbean representation within the commission’s leadership. While Saint Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda were the only Caribbean countries represented on the Executive Committee in the previous term, this year’s elections saw Saint Lucia joined by Guyana, Jamaica and Grenada.
During the assembly, Hippolyte participated in discussions on women’s financial inclusion and highlighted initiatives being implemented in Saint Lucia to support women’s economic participation.
Among the measures she cited were the government’s MSME loan-grant facility, the Youth Economy Agency, digital inclusion programmes, expanded access to credit and labour and social protection reforms.
“Because of deliberate strides by the Government of Saint Lucia to put people first, the most vulnerable are feeling heard and a part of the development conversation. Women form a large percentage of this vulnerable group,” Hippolyte told delegates.
She also stressed the importance of regional cooperation in areas such as financial literacy, gender-responsive financing and policies aimed at advancing women’s economic empowerment.
