Gender Mainstreaming in The Bahamas Government
The Bahamas does not have a functioning national gender machinery. The Beijing Platform for Action defines a national gender machinery as “the central policy coordinating unit inside government[…] to support government-wide mainstreaming of a gender-equality perspective in all policy areas.” The national gender machinery is to be at the highest level of government. It is mandated to engage in policy advocacy, coordination of policy, reviewing and monitoring of legislation and policy, initiating reform for gender equality, ensure gender training for high-level government officials, collect and share best practices for gender mainstreaming, and cooperate with mass media to impact public opinion. The government is responsible for ensuring the national gender machinery is sustainably financed, adequately staffed with technical experts, and participating in ongoing training.
The Department of Gender and Family Affairs is not a national gender machinery. It is not at the highest level of government which, in The Bahamas, is a Ministry. It is not staffed with gender experts, does not have an appropriate budget, and does not carry out the mandate.