Today is being observed as International Women’s Day across the world, the region and indeed Anguilla.I bring you greetings as the Minister with responsibility for Gender Affairs.
Today is a time for reflection on the progress which has been made over the past years, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women in Anguilla who have played and continue to play extraordinary roles in the life of this island and wider community. Our 1967 revolution brought these extraordinary feats of ourwomen to the fore.
This year, the theme for International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on 8 March, is:“A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women.”
There is a call by UN Women for Governments to deliver a concrete roadmap on “ending violence against women”. This is a call being heeded by the Government of Anguilla as efforts continue here to enact long overdue Domestic Violence Legislation. Latest available statistics show that between 2010 and October 31st, 2012, there were 735 reported incidents of domestic disputes which are relatively high given our population of around thirteen and a half thousand people. Across the region, according to UN Women, violence against women continues to increase.
When this legislation is passed into law later this year, it will take us one step closer to realizing CEDAW, which is the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
One of the requirements of having this Convention extended to Anguilla is a fully established and functional Gender Affairs Unit. I am pleased that with the approval for this Unit by Executive Council, efforts are ongoing to establish the position of a Gender Development Coordinator as well as the technical and other requirements necessary for the smooth establishment and proper functioning of this Unit. I must commend the efforts of the members of the Gender Working Group who workeddiligently to bring this project to fruition. This core group comprises a representative each from the Ministries of Home Affairs and Social Development, the Governor’s Office and the Attorney General Chambers.
Training and exposure to the issues of Domestic Violence have also been of vital importance, and in November last year the Gender Working Group spearheaded a one week training workshop for Police Officers and Counsellors. That training was funded through UN Women which is the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
UN Women is also funding two participants from Anguilla to attend the first week of the 57th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women currently underway at the UN Headquarters in New York. This is an annual gathering where countries agree on frameworks to address critical issues related to gender equality and women’s rights.
The Gender Working Group is also seeking funding for officers of the Royal Anguilla Police Force to be trained in Gender Based Violence later in the year. It is anticipated that this would improve the officers’ response to Gender Based Violence in line with enactment of the Domestic Violence Legislation.
It is appropriate at this time that I take time out to thank two of our regional partners, UN Women and UNFPA which is the UN Population Fund, for their tangible support to Anguilla in recent years both on a financial and technical level in the areas of Domestic Violence training and related issues. I am certain that when we have our national machinery in place, these two organizations will continue to build technical and institutional capacity to deal with the demanding dimensions of Gender.
I must also acknowledge the valuable role which our various women’s groups and non-governmental organizations playin working towards women’s empowerment and gender equality by mobilizing, training and developing the skills and leadership abilities of our women in their quest for human rights, dignity and equality. Time does not permit me to name these groups and organizations, but we must applaud all of them for their sterling efforts to ensure women’s empowerment and gender equality.
As earlier stated, women in Anguilla continue to make gains in politics and the work force, both public and private. While there are presently no elected females in the House, the Speaker of the House the Hon. Barbara Webster Bourne has the distinction of being the first female to hold that position. There are however increasing calls for women to take up the mantle and seek elected office. One such call was as recent as last week by the Father of the Nation Mr. James Ronald Webster when he addressed school children on the occasion of his birthday.
It is notable that many of the senior positions in the public service and private sector are held by women.
Even in the home there has been a subtle change in the traditional roles women play. Over the years, women have gone from being just a “housewife” and “caretakers” of thechildren while men earn the money.
Now both women and men are the bread winners, the stereotypical role previously placed on women is slowly dissolving and both spouse/parents are sharing equally the responsibilities that come with the house and family.
I believe that there is still much work ahead to achieve true gender equality. We must ensure our women’s full and equal participation in the political and economic arena. These are fundamental pillars of democracy and justice. Training and education are key in this regard. The role of our soon to be established Gender Unit will be paramount in this process as well.
In closing, on behalf of the Government of Anguilla and on my own behalf, let me extend very best wishes to all our women today, in whatever role they may be playing at this current time. It is your day to celebrate.
Happy Women’s Day and thank you for listening.
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newpsaper.)
