NCDs and Trade Policies: Challenges, Opportunities and Civil Society Advocacy in the Caribbean
The HCC conducted a webinar on Thursday April 7th 2016 in celebration of World Health Day, the webinar was well attended and received.
The presentation slides can be downloaded here and a recording of the webinar is available here.
The webinar featured the following presentations & presenters:
Mrs. Nicole Foster: HCC Policy Advisor; Attorney-at-Law & Law Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Cave Hill Campus
NCDs & Trade Policy in the Caribbean: Exploring the Road Ahead
Mrs. Nicole Foster is an Attorney-at-Law and Law Lecturer and a volunteer Policy Advisor to HCC. Mrs. Foster is a former international trade diplomat with expertise in international law, international trade and international organisations. As Policy Advisor to the HCC, Mrs. Foster provides legal advice and comments on the different projects the HCC is engaged with, as appropriate, based on her expertise and professional commitments as an employee of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados. Mrs. Foster’s contribution focuses primarily on international trade policy, international trade negotiations and the intersection between trade and health, but will not necessarily be limited to those areas.
Mr. Vincent Atkins: HCC Trade Policy Advisor; LDC Trade Policy/Technical Advisor, Office of Trade Negotiations, CARICOM Secretariat
Trade Policy Instruments to Facilitate a Healthy Food Environment
Vincent Atkins is Trade Policy and Technical Advisor to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Less Developed Countries (LDCs) , Office of Trade Negotiations, CARICOM Secretariat, in Barbados. He has been involved in the negotiations of international trade agreements since 2001, representing the Caribbean Community in several negotiating fora in the area of agricultural trade. Mr Atkins’ current responsibilities include coordination of market access in goods negotiations and conduct of technical and analytical studies on trade issues of particular interest to CARICOM LDCs.
Since 2007 Mr Atkins has also undertaken work related to assessing the implications of global trade policies for the control and prevention of obesity, particularly for developing countries. He is a co-author of the book,” Food, Trade, Diet and Health”, published by Wildey-Blackwell in 2010. In November Mr Atkins was appointed as a Commissioner to the Lancet Commission on Obesity established jointly by The Lancet Journal, World Obesity Federation, University of Auckland and George Washington University to stimulate action and strengthen accountability systems for the implementation of agreed recommendations to reduce obesity and its related inequalities. Mr Atkins’ contribution to the Commission will be in the fields of law, agriculture and trade.
Mrs. Norma Springer Consultant to the Barbados Diabetes Foundation
Trade, Food Security & NCDs: A Civil Society Perspective
Norma Springer, is a consultant to the Barbados Diabetes Foundation. Mrs. Springer has a background in agriculture and development. Her career has been largely in the development arena with a focus on industry, export, information, agriculture, governance, and innovation. She was involved in programme management with the FAO, the UNDP and most recently at the Barbados Diabetes Foundation.
Mrs. Marvlyn Birmingham: President of the Dominica Diabetes Association
The role of Diabetes CSOs in Nutrition & NCD Prevention: Experiences of the Dominica Diabetes Association
Marvlyn Birmingham is a former Hospital Administrator. She has a wide public service background, having served as primary school teacher, school dental nurse/senior dental therapist, and dental health educator. She also served in various administrative positions within the government service in Dominica, as Administrative Officer with responsibility for local training, overseas training and as the Senior Administrative Officer all within the Establishment, Personnel and Training Department
Miss Birmingham is a member of the worldwide service organization known as Rotary International, and has served as President for two consecutive years for her club the Rotary Club of Dominica, and Assistant Governor for the Rotary District 7030. In 2008 Miss Birmingham played a key role in the resuscitation of the Dominica Diabetes Association, which, had been dormant for many years. She was subsequently elected as President in 2010 and continues in that capacity to the present. Miss Birmingham holds a BSc. Degree in Public Sector Management from the University of the West Indies as well as an MBA with concentration in Human Resource Management also from the University of the West Indies. In addition she holds certificates in Dental Nursing (Trinidad and Tobago school of Dental Nursing), Dental Health Education (Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland) and Public Administration (University of the West Indies).
The Webinar Agenda was as follows:
- Opening Comments & Introduction. Sir Trevor Hassell, President, HCC/ Maisha Hutton, Executive Director, HCC
- NCDs & Trade Policy in the Caribbean: Exploring the Road Ahead, Nicole Foster, HCC Policy Advisor
- Trade Policy Instruments to Facilitate a Healthy Food Environment, Vincent Atkins, HCC Trade Policy Advisor
- Trade, Food Security & NCDs: A Civil Society Perspective, Norma Springer, Consultant to the Barbados Diabetes Foundation
- The role of Diabetes CSOs in Nutrition & NCD Prevention: Experiences of the Dominica Diabetes Association. Marvlyn Birmingham, President, Dominica Diabetes Association
- Question & Answer Session
- Closing Comments. Sir Trevor Hassell