Unsung Heroines to be Honoured during National Women’s Week

Llonella Gilbert
Bahamas Information Services

11/19/2008

NASSAU, Bahamas -- Minister of State for Social Development the Hon. Loretta Butler-Turner revealed the names of the three “unsung heroines” to be given special recognition during a luncheon as part of National Women’s Week.
The outstanding women are Millicent Smith; a veteran educator and owner of Cupid’s Nursery and Preschool, Elizabeth Grant; a training officer and reproductive health specialist and Graida Knowles; a Family Island Community Activist and mother of 14.
The luncheon will take place on Sunday, November 23 following a church service at the Church of God Cathedral, East Street that will officially launch the National Women’s Week of activities. The theme for the week is “The 21st Century Woman in a Developing Bahamas”.
Representatives from the Bureau of Women’s Affairs within the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, non-governmental women’s organisations and successful and accomplished women from throughout the country comprise the Women’s Week Planning Committee.

Minister Butler-Turner said, “The celebration of National Women’s Week is observed to recognise the anniversary of the enfranchisement of Bahamian women. “This year commemorates the 46th anniversary of women voting in The Bahamas. This accomplishment not only allowed women to vote, but brought about a new sense of self-esteem and empowerment.” She explained that the public would hear more from the Bureau of Women’s Affairs in regards to gender equality and women’s rights for the duration of the year.

Minister Butler-Turner said the Bureau’s plans coincide with the Government’s agenda.
“Just today (Monday),” she said, “we were debating in the House of Assembly the Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Act, which gives more recognition to the victims of heinous crimes such as rape.”
Members of the Committee are visiting schools and will hold a workshop for women and girls to get young persons interested in and involved with gender and equality issues.
The workshop will be held Saturday, November 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Cable Beach Resort.
There will be a number of presenters to discuss this year’s theme and other issues such as sexual harassment, how to survive hard economic times and the importance of physical health and mental wellness.
Minister Butler-Turner said, “When you start teaching our sons and daughters at an early age that they are equal participants in the game of life, then I think you will see further progress from that angle.”

Committee member Attorney Mavis Johnson-Collie said there is always an argument that women’s issues are being brought to the forefront, while men’s concerns are being neglected but she disagreed.
“Women have been in the back for so long and in a lot of cases we are still trying to keep up,” Mrs. Johnson-Collie said. “Although we are seeing women with top positions, the buck/the decision-making for the most part is still with the male.”
She explained that it is important for the roles of men and women to be clarified for a better society including a reduction in domestic violence.

During the week, committee members will be appearing on radio talk shows to discuss issues relating to this year’s theme and to bring more awareness to women’s issues. There will be a panel discussion on the topic “The changing roles of men and women in a 21st century Bahamas”, which will be broadcast live on ZNS television on Wednesday, November 26.
The Minister will be attending a dinner celebrating National Women’s Week in Grand Bahama and will contribute to the discussion live via a special feed.

On the picture:
Minister of State for Social Development the Hon. Loretta Butler-Turner held a press conference to announce the schedule of activities for National Women's Week on Monday, November 17, 2008 at the Ministry's office, East Hill Street. From left seated are Lynn Symonette, Co-Chair National Women's Week 2008; Barbara Burrows, Permanent Secretary; Minister Butler-Turner; Phedra Rahaming, First Assistant
Secretary; and Mavis Johnson-Collie, Co-chair National Womens Week 2008. From left standing are committee members Erin Greene, Francise Dillet, Sheila Culmer, Naomi Pinder and Ali McIntosh. (BIS Photo/Raymond A. Bethel)

October 22, 2008

DVITP Empowers Responders

According to the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA) the Caribbean may be amongst the most violent regions in the world. Fifty percent of women experience psychological abuse, while 10-35 percent suffers physical violence each year.
These disturbing statistics were shared with the 23 participants of a recently concluded three-day Domestic Violence Intervention Training Programme organised by the Women's Resource Centre, now part of the Community Development and Empowerment Agency.
A sensitization workshop targeting police officers, social workers and other frontline professionals who interact with domestic violence victims, the programme is to be offered quarterly across all three islands. The next workshop is scheduled for Cayman Brac from 20 - 22 January, 2009.
Workshop participants included representatives from the Children and Family Services and Community Rehabilitation departments; Cayman Islands Crisis Centre; Royal Cayman Islands Police Service; British Red Cross - Cayman Islands; local churches; primary school counsellors, and the Health Services Authority.
Persons interested in participating in this or other programmes may contact Mrs Miriam Foster or Mrs Cindy Blekaitis at Miriam.Foster@gov.ky , Cindy.Blekaitis@gov.ky or on 949-0006. Additional information is also available at www.wrc.gov.ky .

The Community Development & Empowerment Agency (formerly the Women's Resource Centre) focuses on community empowerment initiatives; parenting and vocational skills training; support for sexual and domestic abuse survivors; and crisis intervention.
Recently restructured, the agency also includes the entities formerly known as the National Parenting Programme, the Community Development Unit, and the Young Parents Programme.
Source: Cayman Island Ministry of Health and Human Services. For further information contact: Kenisha Morgan

Mujeres dominicanas protestan por filmación pornográfica

Santo Domingo, 22 oct. 2008 (PL) Una organización femenina dominicana expresó hoy su “indignación por el rodaje de una película pornográfica” en la que aparecen compatriotas y haitianas y la calificaron de violencia de género y burla vulgar.
El filme fue rodado en el Cibao y Puerto Príncipe, la capital haitiana, y el gobierno debe adoptar medidas contra estas acciones denigrantes para “las mujeres, niñas y adolescentes del país”.
El argumento de la película se centra en el sexo e incluye imágenes de ritos esotéricos y de la miseria en la capital haitiana, denunció Yolanda Santana, portavoz de la Coordinadora de Mujeres del Cibao (CMB).
En sus países no les permiten esa vagabundería (fechoría), pero vienen a República Dominicana a reclutar mujeres aprovechando la difícil situación económica, subrayó la CMB.
La película fue rodada por dos estadounidenses, un puertorriqueño y un panameño, acorde con precisiones en la prensa local.
Las modelos para la filmación recibieron como promedio 100 pesos (alrededor de 2,80 dólares) por su participación en el rodaje
Esta es la segunda ocasión en menos de un año que se desata un escándalo por la misma causa.
El año pasado la policía dominicana desmontó un sitio Web, regenteado por un belga, dedicado a la pornografía por Internet en el cual aparecían mujeres y adolescentes haitianas que estaban retenidas en un apartamento capitalino.

October 21, 2008
Symposium on domestic violence on november 25

BRIDGETOWN (BGIS) - The issue of domestic violence will again be tackled soon when the Bureau of Gender Affairs hosts a symposium titled “All is not Fair in Love and War”.
It will be held on Tuesday, November 25, at Bagnall Point Gallery, Pelican Craft Village, Bridgetown, starting at 9:00 a.m. This event will lead off activities to observe the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (November 25) and the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.
Members of the public who are interested in participating in the conference should register with the Bureau by Friday, November 21. The contact number is 310-2103.
Minister of Family, Youth, Sports and Environment, Dr. Esther Byer-Suckoo, will deliver the national message in commemoration of the day, while officials of the regional research body CADRES, who are currently undertaking a survey on the characteristics of domestic violence, will release the preliminary findings from the focus groups.
There will also be a number of presentations during the day. Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Community Development and Culture and Principal Delegate to the Inter-American Commission on Women, Senator Irene Sandiford-Garner, will speak on concerns and challenges in addressing domestic violence here.
A magistrate will give his perspective on the application and administration of the (Domestic Violence) Protection Orders Act, while UNIFEM’s Regional Director, Roberta Clarke, will address “Domestic Violence in the Context of Human Rights and Domestic Law”.
Retired High Court Judge, Leroy Inniss, will discuss “A Human Rights Commission in Barbados: The Final Stage of Development after Emancipation and Independence”. (SA)

October 20, 2008
BAN THEM!
by TRACY MOORE

A LON GSTANDING non-governmental organisation (NGO) wants a ban on all violent video games and toy weapons for children in Barbados.
President of the National Organisation for Women (NOW) Yvonne Walkes told the DAILY NATION that the NGO was usinga multi-dimensional approach to combat what Deputy Commissioner of Police Bertie Hinds called "a culture of violence" in Barbados.
In last week's SUNDAY SUN, Hinds said the police had been urging Barbadiansfor months to settle their differences by negotiation, rather than by force "butthe general thing in Barbadian society now is to use force to settle disputes".
He was referring to the rise of small weapon violence which has caused the death of almost half a dozen people inthe last two months.
Now Walkes is urging parents and guardians not to buy games that depict brutality, violence, toy knives, guns or daggers, especially when they are buying Christmas gifts.
"This has to be done properly. We need an approach to reverse this culture of violence and force that the Deputy Commissionerof Police, Bertie Hinds, spoke about. We have to start with the children, the schoolsand the parents.
"We are not reinventing the wheel, but something has to resonate. Parents and guardians have to recognise that these types of toys are not helping their children and because people have started to buy gifts for Christmas, we have to get the word out now," she said.
Walkes called for service clubs such as Kiwanis, Lions Club and the Salvation Army, as well as schools and teachers to join with NOW in the anti-violence campaign.
"We have to be aware and be vigilant to get measures in place. This will also be one of our main focuses during our 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women, which will be observed between November 25 and December 10," she added.

October 17, 2008
Gender training important to Barbados

BRIDGETOWN (BGIS) - Close to 500 civil servants have been exposed to gender training within recent years and there are plans to target private sector employees in the future.
Word of this has come from Programme Officer in the Bureau of Gender Affairs, Nalita Gajadhar, who said her department had not been very successful in getting the private sector to come on board, but it would intensify its efforts next year because gender training “is vital” for our country’s development.
“Gender mainstreaming is important to all. It is critical to management in terms of understanding how to run an organisation, recognising the various needs of men and women. When human resource persons are trained in gender, they are better able to analyse, for example, how a new policy will impact the employees in their institution.
“It also broadens the employers’ perspective so they move away from planning programmes and policies for individuals to planning for men and women who make up the society,” Mrs. Gajadhar stressed.
Gender mainstreaming is the process of integrating a gender perspective into all policies, programmes and activities. The Commonwealth Secretariat developed a Gender Management System (GMS) which is a holistic approach to gender mainstreaming. The GMS aims to bring about fundamental and lasting change in society as a whole by transforming the structures that create and perpetuate gender inequality.
In addition, most international agencies are demanding that governments pay special attention to gender equity and equality. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the agencies of the United Nations have all recognised that there can be no real and sustainable development without gender equality.
The Bureau offers two two-day courses on Gender Awareness and Gender Analysis. Participants are first exposed to gender awareness where they learn the differences between sex and gender, femininity and masculinity and identify barriers and obstacles men and women face as they attempt to perform their multiple roles. Once they are successful in grasping the concepts, they then move on to gender analysis, where they learn the importance of incorporating gender into development policies and how to develop strategies that empower policy makers to integrate gender in national policies, plans and projects.
Mrs. Gajadhar described the gender training as an “awesome opportunity” for people to reflect on their personal lives, understand their own prejudices and the decisions they make and how they impact on their lives and the nation’s development.
She said course participants had reported that the information was very valuable and some expressed the view that more time should have been allotted to discuss the area of gender.
The Programme Officer added that in recent times the response from government ministries to the training had been good, with many of the workshops being over subscribed. She, however, lamented that there was a challenge recruiting men, noting that only a few signed up for the seminars.
The final workshops for the current financial year will be held during January and March 2009 and persons interested in learning about gender mainstreaming should contact the Bureau at 310-2105. (SA)

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

STATEMENT FROM THE HONOURABLE OLIVIA GRANGE, MINISTER OF INFORMATION, CULTURE, YOUTH AND SPORTS Of JAMAICA TO MARK RURAL WOMEN'S DAY

Today we want to celebrate and recognize the role of our rural women and their contribution to rural development and food security. The celebration of World Rural Women's Day is essentially to raise the profile of rural women, and to sensitize the public about their largely unrecognized roles and to promote action in their support. This year's theme, Climate Change and Food Security: Rural Women are part of the solution, speaks to the role which women can and must play in addressing these two critical issues which have the potential to impact the very future of mankind.
All human beings are directly or indirectly affected by climate change, but more so women from rural communities as global statistics indicate that rural women are dependent on agriculture and are responsible for half the world's food production.
Yet, farmers are still generally perceived as 'male' and the valued contribution of rural women to food security is frequently underestimated and overlooked in development strategies.
Over the years rural women have remained 'invisible' due partly to the fact that there is a lack of sex disaggregated data to highlight their role. As a result their contribution is poorly understood and largely undervalued.
The contribution of our rural women to rural development and to our nation as a whole cannot be over-emphasized and their welfare and concerns must be an integral part of our development policies and programmes.
In order to address some of the effects of climate change and to engage rural women as part of the solution for food security they must be trained to adopt techniques of sustainable agricultural practices. These techniques will increase their knowledge through education, training, capacity building and appropriate technology to enable them to have a positive impact on climate change.
If our rural women are not educated sufficiently about the impact of climate change and about food security issues they will be faced with the challenge of producing in a harsher environment in which to feed a larger population.
I wish to commend the Bureau of Women's Affairs which continue to liaise with our rural women, to assist them with skills training, self-esteem building and to educate them on pertinent gender issues including gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health rights and HIV/AIDS.
Let me also express gratitude to other organizations which work directly and indirectly with rural women. Agencies such as the Ministry of Agriculture, the Rural Agricultural Development Agency, the Social Development Commission and the Jamaica Network of Rural Women Producers that collaborate with rural women to confront issues and obstacles that retard the pace of their personal and economic development. I encourage these agencies to continue the work to raise the profile of our rural women and to assist them to improve the quality of their lives.
I invite all Jamaicans today to celebrate our rural women and to recognize their valuable contribution to rural development and to the nation as a whole.

October 8, 2008
CADRES to study domestic abuse

BARBADIANS should soon have a better account of the degree of domestic violence within the society.
This disclosure has come from acting director of the Bureau of Gender Affairs, John Hollingsworth, who said that CADRES, the regional research body, would be undertaking a survey shortly on the prevalence and demographic characteristics of domestic violence.
"The findings are expected to be revealed on November 25, which is the Day for the Elimination of Gender-based Violence and the start of the 16-day campaign against gender-based violence," Hollingsworth said.
However, he promised that even before the bureau received the results, it would continue to work with its strategic partners to institute programmes and awareness campaigns to eradicate the scourge.
According to him, the study would complement the recently developed data-collection protocol on domestic violence, and the information would be used to inform government policy in an effort to eliminate violent behaviour.
The true incidence of domestic violence in Barbados is unknown, since it is a crime that is seldom reported. It is felt that this island's current data-collection systems "are inadequate due to under-reporting, under-documentation, administrative incapacity, and a lack of appreciation for the use of statistics in the policy formulation and monitoring cycle".
Domestic violence, which "violates the fundamental human rights" of individuals, continues to be a serious problem worldwide. Its various forms include physical violence, sexual and emotional abuse, intimidation, economic deprivation and threats of violence. (BGIS)

HUSH a call to respect life
Published on: 9/21/08.

by HARRY MAYERS

THERE IS a new HUSH in Barbados and it is anything but a call for silence.
Much to the contrary, the locally produced movie which opened at Olympus Cinemas last Wednesday has set tongues wagging already.
And understandably so. The audience so far has been mainly secondary school students and the hour-long picture is about that engaging subject of youthful romance and sex plus the often troubling consequences of unwanted pregnancies and abortion.
Don't expect Hollywood.
There's no Denzel Washington and there is no Halle Berry. They were not needed for HUSH – a largely voluntary effort involving gifted amateurs – which moves viewers with a touching simplicity that characterises the acting and the production as a whole.
The most repeated response among viewers has been "It's so real!" That comes from the students as well as the teachers who have accompanied them to the shows which are continuing until Wednesday.
And that kind of response is exactly what Praise Academy of Dance, the moving force behind the movie, wanted.
Praise Academy's director, Marcia Weekes, originator of the Walk Holy band that sets out to play a Christian evangelising role in the Crop-Over festivals, explained in an interview that the title is borrowed from a dance number, also called Hush.
What does that dance piece seek to deal with? Sexual abuse, a hush-hush sister of abortion.
A trained accountant and mother of two who devotes her time and energy to promoting the Christian Gospel through the arts, Marcia said: "We have found in our research that there is no place or organisation in Barbados that speaks out against abortion as a mission.
"There is nothing that provides a haven for teenage girls and women who are pregnant, to get them back on their feet and let people know that it's not the end of the world; that 'you are bringing a life'.
"There is nothing to say 'you can have the baby and finish school and we will help you'."

A school that caters to pregnant teenage girls in Jamaica, Marcia's native land, is partly responsible for her drive with HUSH – but only partly.
The real impetus for the movie came in May when she was awakened early one morning, although she had gone to bed late.
"I heard the Lord speak about the things he wanted me to do. Making films – not ordinary films but to state his principles on issues in society.
"I spoke minimally that morning. I kept listening even when going through the morning chores. When I was getting in the car, he said, 'abortion'. I screamed. It was not something I was thinking about. My husband asked me why I screamed. I told him I would tell him later.
"I spent four days writing, putting on the computer what had been, as it were, downloaded to me by the Lord."
Marcia knows about dance and stage work. But how was she to produce a movie?
Her friend Cassandra Hollis of Holy Hill Productions in Atlanta, Georgia, was the answer. She came and helped with the production.
Veteran actor Patrick Foster was roped in and he taught and gave guidance on acting for the screen, which is quite different from acting for the stage, with which some would have had just a little exposure.
Marcia is thankful for the way the production jelled and the performances and contributions of everybody who chipped in, particularly Shane "Fresh" Holford, 21, the videographer, using one camera only; Sergio Charles, 18, who created the music; Omar Clarke,18, who did the sound effects, and Andrew Thornhill, 24, who in addition to playing a lead role as Troy, the boyfriend of schoolgirl Mikisha who became pregnant, also did the sound editing.
All the actors and those associated with the production are strongly opposed to abortion.
But you would not have thought that from hearing Nicola McDonald who as Tanya pushed Mikisha (Sophia Thomas) toward the abortion "solution" to avoid shame and disgrace as a Christian girl and not miss her chance to sit her CXC examinations – not to mention her mother's wrath.
Claudette Wadman was that mother who was enraged to think of what her pastor and church would think of her having pregnant Mikisha in her house after she had successfully put together her life following her own youthful difficulties.
It is interesting that in the explosion of emotions over Mikisha's pregnancy, it was Angie (Sharon Griffith) – who had a sleep-in boyfriend – who urged Mikisha to think out her options and not to hurry into abortion.
Rene Blackman as the pastor and Cathy Weekes as deaconess Grace from the church played their roles well but could have been given something to say about self-control when they were comforting Makisha.
HUSH, made on a shoestring budget, will keep people – parents and children – talking for some time.
* harrymayers@nationnews.com

(Santo Domingo, miércoles 17 de septiembre de 2008)

La presencia de las mujeres en los medios dominicanos ha ganado relevancia y roto esquemas

La plantilla de reporteras en los medios de comunicación dominicanos evidencia la presencia cada vez más significativa de las mujeres en el ejercicio del periodismo en el país, y también su escalada a puestos de mayor responsabilidad. El panel sobre “Las mujeres en el periodismo dominicano: pasado, presente y futuro”, celebrado este martes 16, en FUNGLODE, puso de relieve esta realidad
espacio
.- La plantilla de reporteras ejecutivas en los medios de comunicación dominicanos evidencia la presencia cada vez más significativa de las mujeres en el ejercicio del periodismo en el país, y también su escalada a puestos de mayor responsabilidad. El panel sobre “Las mujeres en el periodismo dominicano: pasado, presente y futuro”, celebrado este martes 16, en la Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE), puso de relieve esta realidad.
Ylonka Nacidit Perdomo dio inicio al panel con una amplia exposición en la que detalló las primeras incursiones de escritoras dominicanas en el periodismo y los desafíos a los que se enfrentaron por las limitaciones que imponían los esquemas conservadores prevalencientes. Compartió con el auditorio el primer texto periodístico sobre un feminicidio, el cual, escribió Virginia Ortea, y fue publicado en el Listín Diario los días 7, 18, 20 y 21 de agosto de 1901.
Dania Goris retomó con su participación las investigaciones que hizo décadas atrás sobre la participación de la mujer en los medios locales para ofrecer los hallazgos de la evaluación que hizo en agosto pasado. Durante el periodo contabilizó 408 reporteros en los periódicos Listín Diario, El Nacional, Hoy, El Nuevo Diario, Diario Libre, Clave, Primicias, Revista 110, El Día, El Caribe, Cambio y La Información. Encontró que del total, 122 son mujeres (29%).
En televisión abarcó los canales Teleantillas, Certv, Telemicro, Color Visión, Antena Latina, Canal 10, Telesistema, Telecentro, Canal 19, Canal 25, RNN, Teleuniverso, CTN, Supercanal, Sport Vision, CDN, Televida Teleradioamérica y Amé 47. Calculó que había 172 reporteros, de los cuales el 36% eran mujeres.
En la radio, también analizó un conjunto de noticieros, en los que laboran 48 periodistas, de los cuales 28% son mujeres.
Goris destacó las posiciones ejecutivas a la que han escalado un significativo número de periodistas en el pasado reciente y la actualidad, como evidencia del avance que se ha logrado en relación décadas anteriores.
Dos de las periodistas que entran en la lista de productoras-conductoras con ganado prestigio en la actualidad le siguieron en la tanda de intervenciones: Edith Febles y Patricia Solano, del programa Voces Propias, que transmite la Z 101, y se ha posicionado como el espacio líder del mediodía en el país, con un año en el aire. Con la excepcionalidad de que es único de su naturaleza que conducen solo mujeres.
Febles y Solano, quienes se han desarrollado en diferentes escenarios del periodismo (ambas, en la actualidad también participan en programas de televisión), contaron sus inicios y ofrecieron un balance sobre la forma en que la sociedad y el entorno más inmediato acogió y da paso a su trabajo. En sus intervenciones pusieron de manifiesto el conservadurismo que prima en la sociedad dominicana, el cual captan en sus interacciones con sus oyentes. Pusieron de relieve, a la vez, los espacios que se abren en el mismo medio, de lo cual constituyen ejemplo por la trayectoria que recorren como comunicadoras.
También Adelaida Hernández, con 23 años como periodista deportiva, trajo al auditorio de FUNGLODE sus vivencias como una de las seis mujeres que desarrolla la labor de comunicadora en el ámbito del deporte. Contó el duro proceso que tuvo que enfrentar para ser aceptada en un espacio desde siempre ocupado por hombres que no entendían por qué una mujer quería irrumpir en él.
Mirta Rodríguez Calderón, cubana con años de oficio en República Dominicana, como periodista y profesora universitaria, celebró en su intervención las historias de éxito que pueden ahora contar periodistas dominicanas que se han ganado un espacio en los medios y en la sociedad. Pero igualmente se refirió al desafío que tiene la sociedad de lograr una participación igualitaria en todos los órdenes, incluyendo el ejercicio del periodismo, para conseguir el equilibrio democrático ansiado.
Las intervenciones de las panelistas, incluidas las de Mildred Minaya y Doris Javier, podrán verse y escucharse próximamente en la sección de videos de la página de la Bibliografía Dominicana de la Comunicación.
Elina María Cruz, moderadora del encuentro y una de las responsables del centro de estudios, indicó que en la página también serán colgados los textos que leyeron varias de las participantes.
El encuentro forma parte de la serie de actividades que desarrolla el Centro de Estudios de la Comunicación de FUNGLODE (CEC-FUNGLODE), dentro de su objetivo de impulsar reflexiones, estudios sobre los medios de comunicación y los periodistas en
República dominicana.
Periodistas de diferentes generaciones, así como estudiantes formaron parte del auditorio. Entre ellos estuvieron el director de El Día, Rafael Molina Morillo; el profesor Rafael González Tirado y el escritor Marcio Veloz Maggiolo.

September 16, 2008
Georgetown, GINA,

Women and Gender Equality Commission to replace the National Commission on Women

The new Women and Gender Equality Commission will replace the National Commission on Women to play a more crucial role. The new body will have responsibilities including addressing gender issues, promoting the advancement of women in society and filing reports to international organisations.
Further, the Commission will be dealing with all policies and programmes at the highest level which will bring into effect the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.
Aiding this cause, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security is working diligently to ensure that Guyanese human rights of both women and men are protected and maintained. It is coordinating the nomination process for this Commission.
- The Commission aims to promote national recognition and acceptance that women’s rights are human rights, respect for gender equality and protection development and attainment of equality.
- The Commission will be a 15-member body with persons being selected from 22 women and human rights entities countrywide.
- Some of the entities include the AFC Women’s Arm, Anglican Mothers’ Union, Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana, Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha-Mahila Mandale, National Congress on Women, National Commission on Women, Red Thread Women’s Development Project, Women’s Progressive Organisation, Civil Society, Trade Union Congress and the private sector.
- The final stage of the nomination process will take place on Friday 19, September, 2008 at the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security conference room.
- The persons nominated by the group of entities will be forwarded to the select Parliamentary group whose responsibility will be to decide the final 15 persons who will be the members of the Women and Gender Equality Commission 

September 15, 2008
Georgetown, GINA,

Sprinkle and breast-feeding programme continuing-
In collaboration with the IDB and the Ministry of Health

Mothers of Sophia today were given the opportunity to interact with Minister in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran and representatives from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to demonstrate the success of the breast feeding and “Sprinkle” programme that was initiated by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the IDB.
Minister Ramsaran noted at today’s meeting that all the babies are looking healthy and that their faces can tell the success of the programme and more so the success of the Sophia Health Centre.
Minister Ramsaran said that his Ministry took a firm decision to develop the Health Centre to cater for the people of Sophia.
He further noted that the Health Centre cost about $9M to be built and since its commission more services were being introduced and that it is now fully functioning with the services of a doctor, medex and pharmaceutical services.
He said that residents also benefited from the eye care service and some were sent to Cuba for further treatment.
Minister Ramsaran said that the programme was aimed at addressing the poverty issue and to bring help to the residents of Sophia so that they can battle against anemia and malnutrition in the form of sprinkle which was distributed to mothers to add to their food to give nutrition to both mother and child.
Minister Ramsaran further noted that mothers were also given coupons which are redeemable for porridge supplement to assist with the daily pot.
He also noted that mothers were being educated about breast feeding and three mothers received a gift for exclusive breast feeding which was proven via the baby’s weight and that his Ministry has trained 400 health workers in the nutritional aspect of health care.
Keith Burrowes Executive Director of the Health Sector Development Unit within the Ministry of Health stated that “the programme has achieved so far about 32 percent reduction on the prevalence of anemia, 49 percent in acute malnutrition, and about 30% in chronic malnutrition and that simply means that babies and their mothers are much healthier than they were when the programme started five years ago.”
He further stated that apart from the Sophia Centre, the “Sprinkles” programme is being promoted at 79 office centres throughout Guyana and that hopefully the infant sprinkle coupons will be continued until June of next year.
He expressed gratitude to the IDB for supporting the initiatives of the Health Ministry.
Executive Vice President Mr. Daniel Zelikow from IDB said that this programme is one of the success story and that IDB will not only continue the programme but will scale up its importance throughout Guyana, since the mothers of Sophia demonstrated its success.

September 10, 2008

CENTRAL BANK TO OFFER FINANCIAL EDUCATION
BRIDGETOWN - A decision has been made by the Central Bank of Barbados to initiate a programme to provide financial education to persons who might not be considered “highly financially literate, but who are capable of understanding how to manage their money”.

This was revealed yesterday by Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Marion Williams, as she delivered remarks at the official opening of the new Scotia Bank Rockley Branch.
She pointed out that financial education of the public was becoming more challenging because the financial world was becoming more complex. She also made reference to the financial climate in the United States of America and the decisions made by consumers there which had resulted in many persons losing their homes.
“We want to be sure that our consumers are sufficiently financially literate that they don’t make those types of decisions. So, it is a precautionary move… And, I have to say that the commercial banks have indicated that they are going to be doing the same thing,” Dr. Williams stated.
She stressed that public confidence must be nurtured and continued to be enhanced by all players in the financial sector, working together to arrange approaches and strategies. She said that she was very encouraged by the fact that both the commercial banks and the public sector financial entities had recognised this and were working together.
Noting that Barbados’ financial sector had undergone significant transformation and progress over the past decade, the Central Bank Governor stated that the system had been bolstered as a result of restructuring, consolidation and rationalisation, which had led to a maturation of the sector.
“Today, we see statistics of those countries which have a percentage of ‘banked’ clients and banking of the ‘unbanked’ is something that developing countries are pushing to do. But, Barbados has been far ahead for a very long time … so that we hardly have any ‘unbanked’, almost everyone is ‘banked’,” Dr. Williams observed.
She issued a caution against thinking that Barbados was safe from the challenges being experienced in overseas markets because of its sound financial system.
“…We have to be conscious that we cannot say it can never happen here, so we have to be vigilant and make sure that we continue to operate in a manner that will redound to the strength, safety and soundness of our financial system,” the Central Bank Governor advised. (GA)

September 3, 2008
Georgetown, GINA,

Domestic violence oversight committee meets
will work with various sectors to ensure effective implementation

Government is working diligently to ensure that measures are implemented to combat domestic violence in Guyana and in pursuit of this end, the Ministries of Human Services and Social Security and Amerindian Affairs, along with several other organisations met as an oversight committee today to discuss ways in which this can be done.
The oversight committee has been set up to oversee the implementation of the domestic violence policy.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand reminded the members that when the policy was launched a few months ago she had promised that it was not going to be one on paper.
The committee comprising organizations such as the Red Thread, National Congress of Women, Women’s Progressive Organisation and the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers will be looking at effective ways of implementing the policy.

Domestic Violence oversight committee meets
Minister Manickchand noted that its implementation will ensure that, “victims get better services and hopefully we can eradicate domestic violence from our midst.”
She acknowledged that it is not an issue that the ministry or government can tackle alone and therefore called on citizens to get involved.
“We are examining ways in which we can put a plan of action in place. There are those in the long-term and many in the short-term that can be done which don’t cost much and just require a commitment from the various sectors to ensure that things are done so persons who access these services can benefit in a speedy manner,” she said.
Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai added that the meeting was successful because it brought together the key stakeholders with interest trying to improve and to reduce domestic violence.
“I am also happy that we are moving a higher level to ensure that implementation is more effective… for the Amerindian Affairs ministry we are happy because we will be engaged with our communities in devising ways on how the service can be delivered to our communities.”

Minister Manickchand and other members of the Domestic Violence Oversight Committee during a meeting
Minister Sukhai stated that it will be a difficult task to give the best that will be available because of the geographical location and the fact that many of the reporting and service agencies exist far distances away from the communities. However, she stated that it is a start.
Insisting that more effective reporting and response to domestic violence reports are needed, she stated, however, that there will be selected health centres which will have a special area for dealing with domestic violence.
Two central health centres will be located in the Mabaruma Sub-district and in Lethem where there are district hospitals that can afford to provide services to domestic violence victims.
“In our communities we will try to do our best to educate residents and community members to recognise domestic violence and to deal with it effectively… because we do not support domestic violence and abuse in any form and our ministry will take a very hard stand on this,” Minister Sukhai declared.
President of the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers, Gem Sanford-Johnson said that the association organised a small lecture for Amerindian women who are currently in the city due to CARIFESTA events.

The Domestic Violence Oversight Committee during a meeting today
“We sought the opportunity to get to them because going to the interior is very expensive and we were able to do something on domestic violence. Many of them were complaining as to these issues with domestic violence in the interior where they are helpless and they don’t get any help when these things happen.”
Minister Manickchand has also stated that, short, medium and long-term plans will be put in place and that there will be closer collaboration with the various sectors to ensure that the policy is implemented.
“We expect that victims are going to be treated a lot better by service providers so that it will build confidence in the system which will help persons to make more reports and then if the system works and perpetrators are treated the way we would like to see them treated as criminals then that may work itself as a deterrent,” she said.

AIDS and the image of Caribbean Women

Excerpt of the keynote speech of Roberta Clarke at the 3rd annual 2006 Conference 'About Women and Image' organized by BISInc in Curaçao.

Caribbean women’s movement and states can feel some sense of achievement about our work to create conditions for gender justice. The engine driving these gains is and was women's rights and gender equality advocates. On the eve of International Women's Day, we must honour these women, such as Sonia Cuales, who have tirelessly advocated, organized and mobilized to ensure that gender equality moved from dream to reality.
But we cannot, we dare not, be complacent nor misinterpret the reality. In fact, gender justice is a work in progress. We need to understand that our work is not done. Our agenda is unfinished. The brave new world of gender equity has not arrived anywhere in the Caribbean. The evidence of the persistence of patriarchy, the stubbornness of unequal value systems is everywhere. In the economy, every where womens unemployment rate is higher than that of men, and also across the age groups. Notwithstanding women’s educational achievement (now almost ¾ of all graduates are women) the labour market is still highly stratified. Women are less able to get jobs, they suffer longer unemployment periods, remain in the main in the lowest paid sectors of the economy. Pay inequity remains an unaddressed feature of the labour market. Many women are vulnerable to highly exploitative working conditions and in the worst violations of rights, as in the trafficking of women. Read more

Roberta Clarke is the Regional Programme Director for UNIFEM at the Caribbean Office in Barbados

Pioneers of the suffrage movement to be honored NASSAU, The Bahamas (BIS) Pioneers of the suffrage movement, who fought for women to have equal voting rights in The Bahamas, will be celebrated during National Women's Week, Minister of State for Social Development in the Minister of Health and Social Development the Hon. Loretta Butler-Turner said at a press conference Thursday, November 15, 2007.
Additionally, women who continue to contribute to the development of the country will be honored throughout that week commencing Sunday, November 25, to Saturday, December 1, 2007.

Mrs. Butler-Turner said that although Bahamian women have been participating in the electoral process for over 45 years, there is still a lot of inequality for women in the country. Read more

Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership
When you put all the pieces together, a new picture emerges for why women don’t make it into the C-suite. It’s not the glass ceiling, but the sum of many obstacles along the way’, by Alice H. Eagly and Linda L. Carli

If one has misdiagnosed a problem, then one is unlikely to prescribe an effective cure. This is the situation regarding the scarcity of women in top leadership. Because people with the best of intentions have misread the symptoms, the solutions that managers are investing in are not making enough of a difference.
That there is a problem is not in doubt. Despite years of progress by women in the workforce (they now occupy more than 40% of all managerial positions in the United States), within the C-suite they remain as rare as hens’ teeth. Consider the most highly paid executives of Fortune 500 companies—those with titles such as chairman, president, chief executive officer, and chief operating officer. Of this group, only 6% are women. Most notably, only 2% of the CEOs are women, and only 15% of the seats on the boards of directors are held by women. The situation is not much different in other industrialized countries. In the 50 largest publicly traded corporations in each nation of the European Union, women make up, on average, 11% of the top executives and 4% of the CEOs and heads of boards. Just seven companies, or 1%, of Fortune magazine’s Global 500 have female CEOs. What is to blame for the pronounced lack of women in positions of power and authority? Read more......

November 25: Day of No More Violence Against Women

From: World Health Organization

Fact sheet N°239
Revised June 2000

Violence against women

Violence against women and girls is a major health and human rights concern. Women can experience physical or mental abuse throughout their lifecycle, in infancy, childhood and/or adolescence, or during adulthood or older age. While violence has severe health consequences for the affected, it is a social problem that warrants an immediate coordinated response from multiple sectors.

Definition of violence against women

A group of international experts convened by WHO in February 1996 agreed that the definition adopted by the United Nations General Assembly provides a useful framework for the Organization's activities. The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993) defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life."
This encompasses, inter alia, "physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family and in the general community, including battering, sexual abuse of children, dowry-related violence, rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation, sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in women, forced prostitution, and violence perpetrated or condoned by the state. Read more......

Press release from BART

BART Board makes history, picks first female to lead agency: Board promotes Dorothy Dugger to General Manager

After a nationwide search, the BART Board of Directors made history today by appointing the agency's first female to the top spot, giving her a clear directive to both enhance customer service and improve the work environment for employees.

By a 6 to 3 vote at today's special meeting, the Board appointed Dorothy W. Dugger to be BART's eighth general manager pending a successful resolution of a compensation package. She previously served as BART's Deputy General Manager. "Finally, after 50 years as a District, BART has its first female general manager," BART Board President Lynette Sweet said. "I'm pleased to have been presiding over this Board during this historic time."

"Make no mistake, Dorothy earned this opportunity ...... Read more......