– Advertisement –
Barbados has renewed its pledge to fairness, inclusion, and decent work at the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, Qatar.
Labour Minister Colin Jordan told delegates that progress does not happen by chance but is built “person by person, through learning, work, participation and belonging.”
He welcomed the Doha Political Declaration, which continues the 1995 Copenhagen Summit’s focus on ending poverty, creating jobs, and ensuring social inclusion as connected goals.
He praised Barbados’ Social Partnership of government, unions, and employers, saying it had helped shape policies such as the 2021 national minimum wage and stronger worker protections.
He listed new reforms including the Child Protection Act 2024, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2025, and family measures like paid paternity leave and longer maternity leave. He added that the National Policy on Ageing 2023–2028 and new laws for elder care are also advancing social justice.
Jordan warned that these achievements could be lost if global conflict and instability persist, and he called for renewed multilateral cooperation.
He also stressed that climate change is a daily threat for Caribbean nations and backed Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley’s Bridgetown Initiative to reform global finance.
He ended by saying Barbados remains committed to “a human-centered approach to development.”
Source: Barbados GIS.
– Advertisement –