COHSOD VII TO FOCUS ON A STRATEGY FOR HUMAN AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION

The Region should expect a much more integrated approach to Human and Social Development (HSD) in the future as the Seventh Meeting of the Council of Human and Social Development (COHSOD VII) scheduled for Georgetown, Guyana October 23-25, 2002 will focus its attention on new strategies in education, health, labour, youth and gender in order to better place the people of the region for today’s global challenges.

This Meeting marks the second held this year as the Region continues to develop a conceptual framework that is applicable to the major sectoral areas with the aim of creating a viable knowledge based environment. In this regard COHSOD VII will focus on establishing priorities for a programme of work to support ongoing national and regional initiatives in Human Resource Development (HRD) and Human and Social Development (HSD).

The Future Policies Group (FPG), which was endorsed by COHSOD V in October 2001, and established earlier this year, is expected to advance a proposal for operationalising the Regional HSD strategy.

Another major activity for the Meeting will be the launching of CARIFESTA VIII. A Suriname Delegation, led by their Minister of Education and Community Development, Hon. Walter Sandriman, will unveil the CARIFESTA Logo, and release the jingle and slogan for the five-day event slated for August 25-30, 2003 in the Dutch Republic of Suriname.

The Pan Caribbean Partnership (PANCAP) on HIV/AIDS will present a report on their progress in resource mobilization and access to Care and Treatment for persons living with HIV/AIDS in the Region. PANCAP, a mechanism established to co-ordinate and sustain a Regional response to HIV/AIDS, has already succeeded in negotiating an 85% reduction in Anti-Viral Drug prices and in obtaining the commitment of six major International Research and Development Companies.

Other agenda items of COHSOD VII will address Free Movement of Skills within the CSME, issues from the Forward Together Conference and youth development initiatives, specifically the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors Programme.

A Special Meeting of Ministers with Responsibility for Children’s Issues will precede the two-day COHSOD Meeting.  At this Meeting, to be convened in collaboration with UNICEF, the Ministers hope to develop a regional response to commitments made at the United Nations Special Session on Children in New York in May 2002.