Belize and Taiwan Sign M.O.U. for Men’s Empowerment Project  

Normally, whenever we hear of signing of an economic Memorandum of Understanding, it’s to benefit women. Today, however, the governments of Belize and Taiwan extended a project to include men. Taiwan, which has been funding social programs to uplift the lives and livelihoods of Belize’s women, has now agreed to do the same for Belize’s men. The initiative came about through the efforts of Belize’s Special Envoy for Women and Children, Rossana Briceño, who sought the assistance of the Taiwanese Embassy and got the green light. At a special signing ceremony, representatives of both countries attached their signatures to documents, making the agreement official. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

Men and boys who sign up for an empowerment project stand to gain endless economic opportunities through partnership between Belize and Taiwan. It aims to improve stressful domestic situations by offering men and boys economic opportunities. Special Envoy for Women and Children, Rossana Briceno sought the funding.

 

Rossana Briceño, Special Envoy for Women & Children

“We had young people there trying to figure out and, and in consultation with our communities to see what’s the best approach for police to end poverty, to end abuse, to end gender-based violence to have more equality in our communities, in our homes. And this engaging men and boy rightly with its title, we were focusing on the men and trying to change mindsets, trying to reach out to boys, getting them at an early age to start working on their attitudes and beliefs and all of that, because if we – whatever we grow up with, whatever we get in the house, that’s what we’re going to give back. So that’s our goal.”

 

Taiwan came through once again, through its ambassador to Belize.

 

Lily Li-Wen Hsu, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Belize

“When I look at the proposal, I just been struck to see that how serious the violence against women, the issue in Belize. It is – this is surely affecting women, not physically, but mentally and their own development and any opportunity. So the training like this targeting our future leaders. The men and boys, young men and boys, is a very strategic way to tackle this issue from bottom up or in the long run in a fundamental way. And I think our Women’s Empowerment Project As previous speakers mentioned, mainly we want to build up women’s capacity and if they earn money or they want to get out to learn new skills without a safe family net back home or a safe environment back home, there’s no point to do that. Or they don’t feel comfortable enough to work outside of their family.”

 

The existing Women Empowerment Project has had notable success throughout Belize for at least seven hundred women. The C.E.O. at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amalia Mai says that extending it to men is expected to do far more than create economic opportunities.

 

 

 

 

Amalia Mai, C.E.O., Ministry of Foreign Affairs

“I think this new component of the project will assist 600 young men. And I very much applaud the Special Embassy for going farther outside the box of only women. Because really and truly, while we have our own struggles and we have our own challenges, certainly we don’t live alone. And so including the men, the young men, is very important. It takes them away from crime. It gives them a more productive life. And really at the end of the day, what do we want? Strong families.”

 

 

Marion Ali for News Five.