St. George, St. George’s - March 11, 2025 - The Grenada Planned Parenthood Association (GPPA) hosted a dynamic meeting with the Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, the Honourable Gregory Fergus, discussing pressing issues surrounding gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health initiatives in Grenada. The event highlighted the crucial partnerships between the GPPA, the Canadian government, and UN agencies in implementing impactful projects.

Executed under the Build Back Equal (BBE) project, the meeting with the Canadian delegation was held on March 6, 2025, with representatives from the GPPA, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women and the Youth Advocacy Movement (YAM).

In her opening remarks, De-Jane Gibbons, UNFPA Liaison Officer for Barbados and the OECS, highlighted the valuable partnerships formed through projects funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented with the support of UN Women and UNFPA. Gibbons stressed the importance of safe access to sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents. 

“The Build Back Equal Project is not just about policies and programmes, but it's about real change and the involvement of adolescents and young people, ensuring access to sexual and reproductive health and rights information and services, as well as information on ending gender-based violence. UNFPA, as a lead agency working to reduce gender based violence, also in emergency situations, will continue to work with governments and civil society partners to deliver high quality sexual and reproductive health services."

Dr. Tonia Frame, President of the GPPA Board of Directors, expressed thanks to Canada for its continuous support for sexual and reproductive health rights. She underscored the GPPA's commitment to inclusivity and collaboration to provide safe, stigma-free services for all Grenadians and outlined key milestone achievements in addressing issues, including adolescent pregnancy and gender-based violence.

“We've been able to pilot a comprehensive sexual reproductive health rights and HIV and GBV clinic in rural and hard to reach communities across Grenada since 2023 and up to today. We have reached over a thousand people, providing services, information and education through our Youth Advocacy Movement as well as through our clinicians and social media. One of the most important things that I think we've been able to do, is this One-Stop Centre.”

A highlight of the meeting was a tour of the location for the proposed GPPA’s One-Stop Centre for Essential Gender-Based Violence Services. The Centre aims to offer a centralised hub for GBV survivors and their dependents to access all necessary first responders, ensuring they receive care and justice in a prompt and efficient manner.

In his remarks, Honourable Gregory Fergus reinforced the necessity of involving everyone, especially women and girls, in discussions about health and well-being. 

“We cannot have a world that is working at its full potential if we're not able to talk about a reality that affects particularly 50% of the population. We need to talk about that openly and comfortably, and we need to have programs and policies, making sure that everyone has access to that; and have men and women working together.”

The GPPA also showcased the Youth Advocacy Movement during the event, highlighting their role in educating and empowering adolescents regarding sexual and reproductive health. Youth representatives shared their experiences and the importance of inclusivity in ensuring access to essential services.

In his closing remarks, GPPA Executive Director, Dario Alexander, reaffirmed his organization’s commitment to promoting gender equality and advocating for the rights of all individuals in Grenada. The "Build Back Equal" project promotes gender equality and women's economic empowerment by addressing barriers to economic opportunities, skills training, and social protection. Through collaboration with governments, communities, and the private sector, it advocates for supportive policies and practices to advance social and economic equality for women and girls.