Two priority areas have now been added to the areas that had already been identified in earlier gender policy documents, namely: legal and regulatory framework, because gender inequality and discrimination must be prevented in all legislative amendments and new laws; environment and climate change, because this sector has been identified as a priority for the development of Suriname.
The seven priority areas in this Gender Plan of Action 2019 – 2020 are the same as those chosen for the long-term Gender Vision Policy Document 2021 – 2035: Labour, income and poverty reduction; Education; Health; Power and decision-making; Gender-related violence; Legal and regulatory framework; Environment and climate change.
The Gender Plan of Action 2019 – 2020 identifies concrete activities aimed at the implementation of what is laid down in Development Plan (OP) 2017 – 2021. At the same time, the Gender Plan of Action 2019 – 2020 forms a bridge to a longer term gender vision policy document, formulated for the period 2021 – 2035. Formulation of a long-term gender policy was preferred because processes of social change associated with gender equality and equity require time.
The problems and challenges identified in the OP 2017-2021 with respect to the formulation and execution of the gender policy, will not be quickly resolved either. Furthermore, a conscious choice was made for the long-term gender policy to overlap one year of the current OP 2017 – 2021. This prevents a gap and enables the intended gender policy to be seamlessly included in Suriname’s the next national development plan.
