Kingston, 26 November 2020 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced the naming of the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation’s Annual Lecture in honour of Mrs. Pamela McNeil, the first Executive Director of the Women’s Centre.

The third staging of the Women’s Centre Annual Lecture on Adolescent Pregnancy is titled, “Adolescent Pregnancy: Reducing the Rate within the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic” and will be held on Friday, November 27, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.

Minister Grange said:
“For 20 years Mrs. McNeil served with a sense of passion and perseverance. She worked tirelessly to help young women to overcome the setbacks caused by teenage pregnancy. She was a visionary who saw it as her purpose to take an active part in assisting teenage mothers to carry on with their education and realise their dreams. The naming of the Annual Lecture will honour her memory and contribution.”

The Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Alando Terrelonge, will make an address while the lecture will be delivered by Dr. Denise Chevannes, HIV & AIDS Officer, United Nations Population Fund Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean.

The lecture invites discussion on the wide and varied issues surrounding adolescent pregnancy.

Other participants include the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the National Family Planning Board and the Bureau of Gender Affairs.

Through the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation, the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport administers the Programme for Adolescent Mothers which is delivered from ten main centres and seven outreach stations across the island. More than 49,000 adolescent mothers have benefitted from the programme which combines academic, counselling, and skill training.

The public is invited to join online via the Zoom platform, details follow:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87256102205?pwd=M0UxZXE0YlZQcHFqUmovV0s4c29KUT09

Meeting ID: 872 5610 2205
Passcode: 924569

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