Representatives from St. Kitts and Nevis to take art in OAS Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social Protection
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ZIZ News…23 10 2010 – The Organization of American States is sponsoring a Caribbean Conference on Horizontal Cooperation in Social Protection that will take place from October 27 to 29, 2010 at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, St, Michael’s, Barbados. The Conference is being jointly organized by the Ministry of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment, Urban and Rural Development of Barbados and the Department of Social Development and Employment of the OAS.
The three-day event will bring together Permanent Secretaries and high level authorities in the area of Social Development from the CARICOM region and additionally, other countries and international organizations with relevant experience in social protection will be invited to attend. The event will provide an opportunity to showcase country experiences in horizontal cooperation in social protection, such as the Puente in the Caribbean and within the framework of the Inter-American Social Protection Network (IASPN), provide the space for sharing on the main challenges and results of international cooperation in this field. In addition, the conference will explore opportunities for future cooperation initiatives in the region.
The final day will be dedicated to members of the Puente in the Caribbean Program, with a workshop on Virtual Learning in Social Protection as a means of building capacity of social development ministries to implement effective social protection strategies.
Starret D Greene, the OAS Representative in St. Kitts and Nevis said that the current global economic and financial crisis had impacted negatively on people everywhere, but especially those who are poor and vulnerable. Mr. Greene explained that his organization was concerned about the growing numbers of persons who were becoming poor in the Americas and therefore it was critical for countries to support the efforts of each other in order to provide much needed relief and protection. He went on to say that international cooperation in social protection was indispensable and that it was necessary to mobilize resources to improve conditions for all affected, especially women and children. “We have a responsibility to support those in our neighborhoods who are less fortunate because in reaching out to them, we not only show compassion, but also we help protect families, build better neighborhoods and preserve the peace and security of our countries”, the OAS Diplomat concluded.
Ms. Sharon Rattan, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social and Community Development, Gender Affairs and Culture, and Mr. Alstead Pemberton, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Transformation, Nevis Island Administration, will represent the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis at the Conference.