Jamaica committed to protection of women and girls – Minister Falconer

Minister with responsibility for Information, Senator Sandrea Falconer, told the United Nations that Jamaica remains committed to the protection of women and girls. Minister Falconer was delivering the 2002-2009 Country Report at the 52nd Session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on July 13 in New York.

In her statement, Minister Falconer said, "During the reporting period, several Government departments and agencies, as well as NGOs implemented a number of interventions to address the overwhelming impact of violence on women and girls. These interventions seek to build on the legal reforms implemented during the period under review to eliminate violence against women and girls and to promote gender justice and equality."

Minister Falconer said that the Amendments to the Evidence Act (1995) is now before the Cabinet Legislative Committee and cited some of the legislative initiatives enacted and adopted such as the Charter of Fundamental Rights, Sexual Offences Act (2009), Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Suppression and Punishment) Act (2007), Cybercrimes Act (2010) and the Child Pornography Act (2010) as among important changes implemented during the period.

The Minister said that the government is committed to address the trafficking of persons, particularly since the majority of cases involve the sexual exploitation of women and girls, adding: "The Government has further established an Inter-Ministerial Committee of the Cabinet to develop a programme of corrective action and to oversee the implementation of measures to reduce the incidences of trafficking in persons."

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