SCLAN BELIZE
OUR GALLERY
Spouses of CARICOM Leaders Action Network - SCLAN Members Meeting
As the 77th Session of the United General Assembly continues, SCLAN held a meeting among its members to provide an update on current projects and trajectory for its 2023 work-plan.
Following the side event “Health Financing and Gender Equality”, the meeting also created a space for members to provide insight on the current events within their home countries and to explore areas for further collaboration and partnership.
SCLAN is a non-governmental organization whose membership include Spouses of Prime Ministers and First Ladies from the Caribbean region who are committed to advocate for HIV, gender-based violence, teenage pregnancy, cervical cancer, and mental health.
Thank you to all members who attended both in person and virtually. Your continued commitment will help us to achieve a Caribbean where no woman or child is left behind.
SCLAN 4TH Annual Side Event | 77th Session of the UN General Assembly
SCLAN in partnership with The Commonwealth Secretariat, UNDP Country Office Belize, United Nations Foundation, and PANCAP extends a warm thank you to everyone who participated in person or virtually in SCLAN’s 4th annual side event that was held on the margins of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 18th, 2022.
A special thank you to the panelists from the UN agencies, The Commonwealth Secretariat, The Global Fund, Inter-American Development Bank, Society for Family Foundation and UNICEF, whose presentations during the panel discussion provided meaningful inputs on current global issues.
SCLAN extends a resounding thank you to all and we look forward to continuing the work towards a Caribbean free from HIV, GBV, teenage pregnancy, mental health issues and cervical cancer.
Spouses of CARICOM Leaders Action Network - SCLAN Members Meeting
On September 17th, 2022, H.E. Mrs. Rossana Briceño, Spouse of the Prime Minister of Belize and Chair of SCLAN, and H.E. Mrs. Mellisa Santokhi-Seenacherry, the First Lady of the Republic of Suriname and Vice-Chair of SCLAN met to prepare for the SCLAN side event which is happening soon!
The Chair and Vice Chair also met with Cora Neuman Founder of Global First Ladies Alliance. The Global First Ladies Alliance (GFLA) supports First Ladies, individually and collectively, in their efforts to advance positive change in their communities and around the world.
SCLAN looks forward to collaborating with GFLA in the near future!
SCLAN hosts side event in partnership with United Nations partners
The Spouses of CARICOM Leaders Action Network (SCLAN) in partnership the Institute of the First Lady of the Republic of Suriname along with the United Nations Foundation, UNFPA, UNICEF held a side event in the margins of The Forty- Third Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community in Suriname on July 5, 2022. The event was held under the theme, Advancing the SDGs.
H.E. Mrs. Mellisa Santokhi - Seenacherry, the First Lady of the Republic of Suriname and Vice-Chair of SCLAN opened the event on behalf of SCLAN stating “to promote mental health and fight cervical cancer, we can take responsibility together, each from our own leadership position. We from the Spouses of CARICOM Leaders Action Network are ready to act with you and other stakeholders to improve the quality of life of every citizen in our Caribbean region.”
H.E. Mrs. Briceño Spouse of the Prime Minister of Belize and Chair of SCLAN delivered the keynote address. She spoke to the value of partnerships in overcoming the challenges and noted that, “As we respond to the COVID-19 crisis, we must have a strong focus on building more equal, inclusive, and sustainable economies and societies that are more resilient in the face of pandemics and the many developmental challenges that come our way.”
Representatives of UN agencies that included UNDP, UNFPA, UNAIDS, UNICEF and PAHO/WHO participated in a panel to discuss the current situation on SCLAN’s work in gender equality, cervical cancer, mental health, HIV/AIDS, adolescent pregnancy, and the solutions for countries to advocate for greater investment for women and children.
The event closed with actionable steps that Spouses and First Ladies from across the Caribbean can implement in their respective countries.
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda #CHOGM2022
H.E. Mrs. Rossana Briceño, Spouse of the Prime Minister, Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children, spoke on the #CHOGM2022 platform in the Spouses Programme, her focus was on a shared commitment to confront the scourge of cervical cancer in women. Anchored on global realities but focused on regional and national realities and priorities, she spoke on behalf of SCLAN as the Chairperson.
Here's an extract from H.E. Mrs. Rossana Briceño address on the scope of the challenge of cervical cancer:
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the shortcomings of our respective health systems. Women's and girls’ health has been severely affected, including access to essential health services. In developing countries this has ultimately affected efforts to eliminate cervical cancer as basic services have been halted to focus on COVID-19.
It is estimated that 90% of cervical cancer deaths occur in low and middle income countries. For Latin America and the Caribbean, we have one of the highest incidence and mortality rates from cervical cancer in the world. For the Caribbea, cancer is the second leading cause of mortality. According to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), “cervical cancer accounted for 4.5% –18.2% of cancer deaths in the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean.”
Roundtable discussion on preventing and responding to Gender-Based Violence
On June 9, 2022, SCLAN in partnership with H.E. Mrs. Rossana Briceño, Spouse of the Prime Minister, Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children, and Chair of SCLAN in collaboration with the National Gender-Based Violence Partners hosted a roundtable discussion on preventing and responding to gender-based violence.
The event included presentations on the current state of affairs regarding the national response to ending gender-based violence. Discussions also explored steps to strengthening partnerships between agencies working to prevent and respond to violence in Belize.
It was a pleasure to welcome the Regional Director of UNICEF, Ms. Jean Gough. A special thank you to UNICEF for their support, those in attendance, and to all partners leading the charge to end gender-based violence.
scLAN pROJECTS
Engaging Men and Boys
Relay for Change: Mentoring Youths to Prevent Violence in Belize
The ‘Engaging Men and Boys to Advance Gender Equality and Help Prevent Gender-Based Violence’ was developed. Spearheaded by the Spouses of CARICOM Leaders Action Network (SCLAN) and the National Women’s Commission’s (NWC) with support from Spotlight Initiative, a global partnership between the European Union and the United Nations, this project aims to create agents of through its two-tiered Training of Trainers and Workplace training sessions approach. Its primary outcome is to provide a space for sensitization of men and boys challenging views about masculinity and gender using role modelling and the positive deviance approach to transform attitudes and beliefs which contribute to family violence.
Follow Along
The Office was reinstituted to support the Government of Belize in advancing Plan Belize Families' & Women's Agenda
Follow Along
The Office was reinstituted to support the Government of Belize in advancing Plan Belize Families' & Women's Agenda
@ Copyright 2024 - Special Envoy for the Development of Families & Children| All rights reserved