NASSAU, The Bahamas – The government is forging ahead with its objective to meet its mandate of gender equality and women’s empowerment. On Monday, 30^th May, a ceremony was held at the Balmoral club to officially launch the Joint Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Fund Programme with a $1 million joint venture between the Bahamas Development Bank (BDB) and the United Nations.

In attendance and delivering remarks were the Minister of State for Social Services and Urban Development, the Hon. Lisa Rahming; Minister of State for the Public Service, the Hon. Pia Glover Rolle; and Chairman of the Bahamas Development Bank, Sen. the Hon. Quinton Lightbourne.

Delivering brief remarks were: Ms. Tonni Anne Broderick, Representative, UN Women Multi-Country Office, Caribbean; Ms. Saadia Sanchez-Vegas, Director and Representative, UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean. Virtual remarks were delivered by: Mr. Heewong Kim, Head of Reporting, UN Joint SDG Fund; Ms.

Denise Antonio, UNDP Resident Representative, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands & Turks and Caicos Islands and Dr. Crispim Moreira, FAO Representative, Jamaica, The Bahamas and Belize.

UN Resident Coordinator to the Multi-Country office in Jamaica, Dr. Garry Conille gave opening remarks. He said he was excited that The Bahamas was undertaking this venture and expressed the United Nations full support in assisting The Bahamas achieve its objectives.

Manager, Information Technology, Bahamas Development Bank, Mr. Alonzo Hinsey served as Chairperson for the event. Also in attendance was incoming Managing Director, Bahamas Development Bank, Mr. Nicholas Higgs.

State Minister for Social Services and Urban Development, Ms. Lisa Rahming in her keynote address said that this joint venture funding program is consistent with the Bahamas Development Bank’s vision and mission and is therefore a natural fit for their business model.

“It is strategic that the Bahamas Development Bank will serve on the National Steering Committee as this will accrue important benefits from technical capacity building in support of the development of the framework for the gender equitable funding mechanism.”

She said BDB has been at the forefront of the economic empowerment of Bahamians entrepreneurs and by extension -- sustained development of The Bahamas -- for many decades. While she admitted that the bank has had some challenges over the years, she said that the government remains committed to using this institution as an instrument or executing mechanism for the continued economic empowerment for the Bahamian people.

She welcomed the strategic partnerships BDB is pursuing with other local and international financial institutions including FinDev and The Portland Equity Group for fund development and management.

This joint proposal, she explained, recognizes that societies with higher levels of gender equality experience faster and more sustainable development outcomes.

It also recognizes that countries with higher GDP growth rates and other positive economic indicators have not always factored in the contributions that women and youth can make towards strengthening key economic sectors, and in many cases have not invested sufficiently in gender equality towards advancing human and social development.

“As we economically empower our people, no social or demographic grouping is to be left behind. Further, we are to remain sensitive to the customs, culture, way

of life, the values and the integrity of the physical environment of the communities and markets in which we conduct business and commercial trade.” (BIS Photo/Kristaan Ingraham)