'Gender Park' to come up in Kerala

The Kerala government's Rs 300crore three tower ''Gender Park', claimed to be the first ofits kind in the country and working towards gender equality inthe state, will become functional here from February.

The launch will coincide with the second edition of theInternational Conference on Gender Equality (ICGE-II), stateHealth, Social Justice and Women and Child DevelopmentMinister K K Shailaja said on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate theFebruary 11-13 IGCE-II and the Gender Park.

On the opening day, he will also lay the foundation ofthe International Womens Trade and Research Centre (IWTRC)that envisages a secure and sustained ecosystem for womenentrepreneurs and a space for them to market their products.

The valedictory ceremony will be inaugurated by KeralaFinance Minister Dr T M Thomas Isaac.

It will see the announcement of a policy draft based onthe highlights of the entire sessions at ICGE-II.

A Gender Museum, Gender Library, Convention Centre and anAmphitheatre will also be launched at the event.

These four facilities will form the first phase of theGender Park that works towards gender equality in the state,Shailaja told a press conference here.

ICGE-II will explore measures to boost the economicpotential of women and transgenders to equip them assustainable entrepreneurs.

With 'Gender in Sustainable Entrepreneurship and SocialBusiness: The Mediating Role of Empowerment' as the focaltheme, the event at the Park's campus is being organised inassociation with UN Women,which is part of the United Nations.

The Gender Museum will feature various social strugglesthat led to shifts in the status of women, their achievementsand turning points, including those during the Renaissancemovement.

The Gender Library envisages the creation of publicawareness on gender and its role in development.

The state-of-the-art Convention Centre will have acapacity to seat more than 500 people.

The Amphitheatre is set against a lush green backdrop.

Such an endeavour is the first in not just the country,but perhaps the whole world, the Minister claimed.

''Already we have allotted Rs 26 crore for the Gender Parkand earmarked another Rs 15 crore for the next financialyear,'' she said.

The government has also approved an administrativesanction of Rs 172 crore,'' she said.

ICGE-II, with 100 delegates, besides 50 speakers, willhold nine plenary sessions and as many parallel sessions, instrict observance of the COVID-19 protocol.

Taking part will be policymakers, academics,professionals and domain experts, besides ministers anddiplomats from 30 countries.

Organisations and institutions the world over willwitness the proceedings live.

The Minister said ICGE-II will function as a platform toanticipate the challenges in a post-pandemic world and sharethe present experiences of women across continents.

''Women in Kerala have high education, but no proportionalrepresentation in employment,'' she noted.

''That paradox adds to the relevance of the upcomingsummit.'' Last month, the UN Women signed an agreement with the2013-conceived Gender Park to develop it into a South Asia hubfor gender-related activities.

The December 21 MoU enables the Gender Park to build aGender Data Centre.

All the projects at the Park will get cooperation from UNWomen, the Minister said.

The first edition of the ICGE at Kovalam nearThiruvananthapuram in 2015, had Gender, Governance andInclusion as its theme.

It saw the official release of Kerala State Policy forTransgenders.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)