Promoting Economic Empowerment of Women in Los Alcarrizos

Promoting Economic Empowerment of Women in Los Alcarrizos
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 06/09/13

The Ministry of Women and the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) this week re-inauguratedthe Training Center in Los Alcarrizos with an investment of more than 7 million pesos.  The aim is to develop the skills, aptitudes and leadership among women, allowing them to enter the labor market in the formal sector of the economy on equal terms, with decent and fair benefits and guarantees and achieve social and economic empowerment.

The reopening of the “Maria Teresa Quidiello Training Center”, held as part of the “Development of the Economic Empowerment of Women in Los Alcarrizos” project,was funded by the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan ) in the Dominican Republic.  The total donation of U.S. $ 150,000.00, equivalent to RD $ 6,000,000.00 is for implementing the project along with an additional U.S. $2 million dollars from the Ministry of Women.  It includes the re-adaptationof the infrastructure and the purchase of kitchen equipment, office furniture and for a beauty parlor, as well as Yarn,Fabrics and items for the Desk, Office and Education, among other things.

The event was led by Alejandrina Germán, Minister for Women, and Mr. Thomas Ping-Fu Hou, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the Dominican Republic.

The event was led by Alejandrina Germán, Minister for Women, and Mr. Thomas Ping-Fu Hou, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the Dominican Republic.

Also present were Rosanna Reyes, Deputy Prosecutor for Women’s Affairs of the Attorney General of the Republic; Nelson Felipe Valdez, Director General of Bilateral Cooperation of the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPYD) and María Eugenia Pereyra Quidiello, daughter of Professor Maria Teresa Quidiello.

Alejandrina Germán said strengthening the economic empowerment of women and reducingpoverty requires multiple efforts, such as an integrated approach that includes interventions in the economic, educational and health fields, among others;  and to encourage entrepreneurship through generating knowledge and access to economic resources, the gateway to reduce poverty among women.

In this regard, the Minister of Women in the Dominican Republic stated that the problem of high unemployment is very worrisome, especially unemployment among women, and she expressed thanks to the Embassy of China (Taiwan) for itsunconditional support in developing the “Economic Empowerment of Women in Los Alcarrizos” project as it aims to help alleviate poverty of women in this sector.

The project promotes women’s economic empowerment through income generation and its integration into the labor market through a comprehensive training program, not only in traditional sectors but also in management and business.

“This project covers topics that the Ministry of Women has listed as priorities for the empowerment of women, such as economic self-reliance and empowerment, a priority axis within the themes of the National Plan for Gender Equality 2007 – 2017, known as PLANEG II, specifically in topic number 3:  “To strengthen the economic empowerment and promote poverty alleviation of women,” an issue also contained in the National Development Strategy, the Millennium Development Goals and Presidential Goals of the current government, led by President Lic. Danilo Medina,”Germain said.

To achieve this goal, the Ministry of Women reinforced the Vocational Technical Training program, which runs in Santo Domingo and the interior provinces of the country, in coordination with the National Training Institute (INFOTEP), enabling 5,730 low-income women improve their means through the development of skills and abilities in different traditional and non-traditional areas of employment.

The Training Center of the Ministry of Women, which henceforth will be called “Dr. Maria Teresa Quidiello,”has worked in Los Alcarrizos since 2002 and just in 2012 assisted3,978 women from the community and surrounding areas in the fields of Cooking and Pastry, Beauty, Dressmaking , IT, Secretarial, Budget Administration, Economic Empowerment of Women and Entrepreneurship, among others.