During the week of March 3rd to 11th we celebrated Women’s Week which included the celebration of International Women’s Day on Thursday, 8th March. The celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s Week in Anguilla, though clearly not intended, invariably leads to some consideration of the role men are playing or failing to play in our community.
Women’s Week highlighted the accomplishments of 18 women in various fields of endeavor in Anguilla. It is without doubt that many women in Anguilla are engaged in self-development and the creation of sustainable avenues to foster and ensure the development of others. Can the same be said of many of the men in our community?
The enterprising women in our community must be highly commended for the strides they continue to make to ensure that they remain relevant to the development of Anguilla. Their contributions are clearly valued and must be supported by the various stakeholders, including men in our community, if their efforts are to bear the fruits that are clearly desired and achievable.
While there are men in our community who still aspire to certain commendable ideals, there are many men among us who appear to have lost or to be losing their way. This, some may say, is also true of women in our community and that is no doubt true. What is very apparent, however, is that men are often a very distant second to women in certain areas that are considered essential to building good citizens and communities.
In many instances women are the sole parent providing a stable upbringing for their children. Too many men do not offer the mothers of their children any support in the care of their children. In many instances they do not offer their time or their financial, psychological or moral support, in any meaningful way, in the upbringing of children they sired – yet they are often the first to claim undeserved credit for their children’s accomplishments. In these circumstances, women are left with the sole responsibility of caring for and providing for the needs of their children. The financial and psychological responsibility for the care of children is a huge responsibility that no one parent should have to shoulder.
Females significantly outnumber males in the pursuit of knowledge in primary and secondary schools and at the tertiary level. This is apparent in the grades achieved at various levels and by virtue of the number of males attending tertiary institutions. Many of our males no longer appear to possess the desire to put themselves in the best possible position to provide for their families.
Behavioural changes on the part of some men could significantly and positively impact the work being undertaken by many of the women in our community. Many of the initiatives are designed to ensure children’s developmental needs are met. If a significant number of men were to contribute more meaningfully to the care and upbringing of their children, and sought to equip themselves with the means to provide for their children, these basic but important actions would significantly support the work being undertaken by women in our community. Women ought not to have to do their part and men’s part as well. Men must act together to demonstrate that there is still honour and pride among men, particularly in relation to their family obligations. In this regard each man must be his brother’s keeper. Did your drinking buddy take care of his child’s needs before he offered you that drink?
