Social Development Minister at Commonwealth conference

SOCIAL Development and Family Services Minister is currently participating in the 5th Annual Conference of the Caribbean, Americas and the Atlantic Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The conference runs from July 21 to 28.

A statement issued by the ministry said Cox "will be part of open and productive discussion on issues that call for deliberation on variety of matters surrounding women in government and the impact of women in policymaking at the highest levels of our societies."

The objective of the conference is to promote gender equality in the work of the CPA, encourage women to stand for election by advocating the removal of barriers to their participation and facilitate their professional contribution as members.

Some of the topics to be discussed at the conference include food security preparedness, natural disaster preparation, crime and security in the region.

The ministry said it was hoped that through Cox's involvement in such discussions, practical solutions could be formulated to combat issues faced, such as achieving food sustainability in crises, and combatting fraudulent practices.