Minister of Social Services and Community Development the Hon. Melanie Griffin is pictured about to deliver the country’s statement to delegates attending the current United Nations 60th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, March 14-24, at UN Headquarters in New York.

Efforts to empower and advance the cause of women in The Bahamas was relayed by Minister Griffin in her address that described that the Government of The Bahamas has undertaken, or is in the process of undertaking, many of the steps necessary to meet a number of the key gender equity objectives included in Agenda 2030 of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including: the elevation of the Bureau of Women’s Affairs to the Department of Family and Gender Affairs which is expected to “bring broader focus” to issues facing women and girls and men and boys; the creation of a National Task Force on Gender-Based Violence that has resulted in the compilation of The Bahamas National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence (in collaboration with UN Women); and the recent passage of four Constitution Amendment Bills to provide gender equality under the law for men and women, which paves the way for referendum by the citizenry.

Minister was accompanied by Under Secretary Phedra Rahming; Head of the Women's Bureau Christine Campbell; Chief Welfare Officer Regita Minns who heads the Domestic Violence and Counseling Unit; Community Affairs Officer for Grand Bahama Patrice Johnson; and Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of The Bahamas to the United Nations Tishka Francis.