Regional Linkages

CPDC

As part of the Caribbean Reference Group on Trade, CAFRA was asked to organise a Regional Consultation on the Free Trade Area of the Americas, involving the OECS countries. This consultation allowed CAFRA to strengthen links with the Leeward Islands, Grenada and St. Lucia.

CAFRA now serves on the Board of the Caribbean Policy Development Centre in the position of Vice Chair.

OECS

The organization of East Caribbean States (O#CS) invited CAFRA to be part of a planning meeting to share its Development Strategy for the OECS Region, which was held in St. Lucia from 27-28 July, 2000. The strategy focuses on:

• Poverty and Sustainable Development

• Governance and Policy Support Issues

• Disaster Management and Mitigation

• Environment and Natural Resources Development

• Food Security and Nutrition

• Gender Mainstreaming

• Human Resource Development/Capacity Development

• Youth

• HIV/AIDS

CAFRA’s representative to that meeting was Dr. Phyllis Fleming Banks of Anguilla.

ECLAC

CAFRA participated in the Meeting of presiding Officers of the ECLAC Ad Hoc Committee on Population and Development. The purpose of this meeting was to consider the draft report on the situation, and the action taken in Latin America and the Caribbean with respect to the implementation or the recommendations contained in the programme of action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) - 1994. CAFRA was privileged to be the NGO selected to participate in the meeting, as a resource on gender and women’s empowerment. Because of its role in the preparatory process ensuring that women’s empowerment remain a priority with Caribbean governments.

CAFRA’s Barbados representative and CAFRA’s coordinator participated in the Gender Mainstreaming Workshop sponsored by ECLAC in May 2000. CAFRA capitalized on the opportunity presented by the attendance of Coordinators of Women’s Bureaus in the region to conduct a workshop to familiarise them with the proposed Beijing + 5 Outcomes Document, and develop a lobbying/negotiating strategy.

CAFRA also participated in a meeting on Gender Macro-Economic Policy. The meeting brought together Economist and Economic and Social Planners from regional institutions and Economic Planning Units from the governmental sector, UWI, NGO sector and ECLAC staff from the Economic and Social Affairs Units. The purpose of the meeting was to consider how gender analysis could be better integrated into the framework for macro-economic policy formulation.

CARICOM

The CARICOM Secretariat invited CAFRA to participate in the Fourth Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development held in Guyana from 4-6 October, 2000. It was useful for CAFRA to update on the CARICOM positions and actions on critical social issues of Education the World Summit on Social Development, Youth Development, Free Movement of skills, CARICOM Passports, Community Awards and a proposed Civil Society Encounter 2001.

CAFRA’s representatives lobbied for the retention of the Triennial Award for Women, when recommendation for its removal was tabled.