THE People’s National Movement (PNM) National Women’s League raises concerns over the level of gender representation in the newly appointed Cabinet.
Despite the United National Congress (UNC) administration being led by a female Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the league noted that only five of the 24 Cabinet members announced are women. Of the 32 total appointments, just six are female.
The League stated that this falls short of previous PNM administrations, which included ten women in 2015 and eight in 2020.
In a media release on Monday, the League questioned whether the current administration’s image of inclusivity is superficial, describing the imbalance as a “stark disparity” that challenges the notion that female leadership automatically ensures a gender-equitable government.
Attention was also drawn to the absence of a Ministry of Gender and Child Affairs. The League said that under the former PNM government, the ministry functioned within the Office of the Prime Minister with a dedicated Cabinet-level minister.
The removal of the ministry, or the lack of clarity about its reassignment, was described as a regression in efforts to protect and advocate for the rights of women and children. The League is calling for either the return of the ministry or assurance that its responsibilities will be clearly reassigned to another portfolio.
