The National Gender Policy, we've haven't reported on that document since May. But, as you may remember the policy's original draft caused the Churches sounded the alarm saying that it had pro-LGBT elements to it, which they couldn't support.
Well, as we've told you, the Prime Minister has been consulting with representatives from the Church, and today, another meeting was held. The sentiments coming out of the 3-hour plus meeting is that all the questionable sections of the Gender Policy have been revised, and the Church can now give their approval.
The Pastors told us that their biggest concern was that the Gender Policy would be used as a spring board to agitate for amendments to the Belize Constitution:
Pastor Eugene Crawford - Belize Evangelical Assoc.
"One of the terms that set the stage for a very progressive move was the gender. Gender meaning man and woman. It was a little nebulous at first, but when that was being defined, then we know most of the other points that followed it was already ventilated."
Roosevelt Papouloute - Belize Council Of Churches
"I believe that Pastor Crawford has touch the main points. By the time we had agreed on the definition of the term gender and it also open the doors to really amend the documents in a way that we as a church feel that the document should go in the direction of not so much, taking into consideration that we are a nation under God, there are certain matters of fief that needs to be included into this policy and at the same time taking into consideration the social issues that are affecting us that needs to be address that affects everybody because we are a nation that when the issues affect one, it affects all of us. And so, one of the concerns that we had is whether or not accepting the gender policy as it is would lead to changing elements of our constitution and we got clear that that's not the case - it's going to be a gender policy and that will not affect our constitution as it stands."
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"All outstanding issues have been sorted out. It is just now for some redrafting to be done in particular areas where we've agreed in principle on where we want to go, but where the language that was before us couldn't be improved in the way we wanted it on the spot."
The Churches say that they expect to finish reviewing the most recent draft of the National Gender Policy by the end of October or early November.
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