Minister Manickchand joins keynote panel at Harvard University
-discussions focused on closing gender gap

Minister of Human Services and Social Security Priya Manickchand today joined Prime Minister of Canada Kim Campbell on the important panel of a conference at the John F Kennedy School of Government at the Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.



The two- day conference “Closing the Gender Gap: the business case for Organizations, Politics and Society is hosted by the Council of Women World Leaders in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and seeks to examine the relationship between gender equality and societal and economic outcomes.



A release from the Ministry said the panel discussion, moderated by the Secretary General of the Council Laura Liswood examined specifically the benefits of political power. 
Minister Manickchand posited that political power matters in closing the gender gap across the world and expressed the view that political power derived from political office has tremendous benefits one of which is to allow for the culture of a country to be shaped and changed by public policy derived from political office. She said that when that office is occupied equally by both genders the female perspective is considered when decisions are being made. As to how to ensure there is equality in representation the Minister was resolute that quotas prescribing numbers of women in office must be provided for by legislation.



The Minister however also put forward the view that of tremendous value in closing the gender gap is political power derived from unity around a cause.
 The Minister noted that where women across political divides, religious views, social status and professions could collaborate and hold a common position about a specific issue that body would have power that is political in nature and that cannot be ignored.



Governments have to create environments that encourage and enable women uniting around specific causes, she said. This, she offered would more than likely require proactive efforts by governments to allow the voices of women to be heard on issues.
Taking consultations to women is a sure way to enable this environment; she told the audience which included professors, students, presidents and directors of organizations and banks, and business owners and CEOs.
Marrying political power derived from political office and from unity around a cause is unbeatable, the Minister said.