GOVERNMENT IS looking to strengthen laws aimed at protecting and promoting women's rights during this legislative year.
That is the word from Minister of Information, Burchell Whiteman, who was addressing hundreds of persons at Saturday's conference organised by the Bureau of Women's Affairs to mark International Women's Day and the Intern-ational Year of Freshwater.
He was delivering an address on behalf of Development Minister, Dr. Paul Robertson
at the conference, entitled, "WoManaging Freshwater for Life."
The Government will be looking at key legislation, such as the Matrimonial and Family Property Act, the Maintenance Act, domestic violence amendments and the Charter of Rights and Responsibilities, which, he added, "are part of the legislation programme for 2002/2003 and at various stages of completion."
He told the hundreds of persons, mostly women, who turned out at the Jamaica Conference Centre downtown Kingston that the Charter of Rights and Responsibilities was before a joint select committee in Parliament while the Dom-estic Violence (amendment) bill is being reviewed by the Ministry of Justice.
Among other legislation being looked at is the Family Property (Rights of spouses)Bill to determine the division of property on termination of cohabitation, which was reintroduced in the Senate last March and was referred to a joint select committee.
He added that the Mainten-ance Bill, which will outline the responsibilities of spouses and other family members to maintain members of their families, is being circulated for comments.
"These pieces of legislation will be actively debated and monitored as we seek to bring them all to conclusion within the calendar year. The Government remains committed to creating the legal provisions to ensure that there is adequate protection of the interests of women and children, Minister Whiteman asserted, speaking of Government's plans to boost the economy and create jobs while formalising the informal economy.
He said formalising the informal sector remains one of Government's challenges, although it is one of the most important sectors in the country.
"This sector is important and needs to be engaged in the development process," Minister Whiteman said.
"The players in that informal sector are not only to be seen as persons outside of the tax net, but as persons who could do better for themselves, their families, and the country, as a whole, if they were able to receive many of the benefits of formalisation," he added.
He commended women's increasing participation in various business sector, citing a study which shows that 60 per cent of small and emerging enterprises are female oriented.
"The informal sector will need to be given focused attention, if it is to continue to facilitate and encourage women's economic participation."
He said that the Government will continue to provide loans and technical assistance to the small business sector.
