International Women’s Day 1999

Caribbean women recorded several achievements over the past year. In the political arena, the representation of women in Parliament increased significantly in several countries, including the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Suriname. In 1998, 25% of the candidates nominated in Jamaica’s local government elections were women, while women were better represented than ever in Bermuda’s general election, resulting in the voting in of that country’s second woman premier.

Women were also appointed or elected to high-ranking posts in regional, inter-governmental organizations.

In education, almost 75 per cent of the 4,000 students graduating from the University of the West Indies (UWI) in 1998 were women, prompting UWI Chancellor, Sir Shridath Ramphal to announce plans for a study on the decline in the university’s male student population. In agriculture, Vincentian Louise Charles was voted Farmer of the Year.

In the sexist arena of beauty pageants, Trinidadian Wendy Fitzwilliam won the Miss Universe competition with a combination of beauty, brains and down-to-earth charm. With her forthright, progressive views and social activism, she has given new direction to young women aspiring to make their mark on society.

Bahamian and Jamaican women runners maintained top ten positions in the IAAF’s standings, while, in the musical arena, three women captured the coveted national Junior Calypso Monarch, Calypso Monarch and Road March titles in last month’s Carnival celebrations in Trinidad and Tobago. The first woman to win the latter two titles did so 21 years ago.

Against difficult odds, single mothers around the region, successfully raised their children through primary and secondary schools. Other mothers withheld their children from school to pressure government to improve educational facilities or demonstrated against bad roads, inadequate public utilities and sub-standard social services.

Some progress was made, mainly in the sphere of social legislation, to advance women’s equality. Thus, Trinidad and Tobago passed legislation to confer rights and impose obligations on persons living in common-law unions and Dominica reformed its sexual offences legislation. New legislation in Puerto Rico mandates prosecuting attorneys to investigate and penalize cases of sexual and psychological violence in the home. The law also stipulates that the necessary information will be gathered to uphold an accusation, even if the complainant withdraws charges. The British Virgin Islands developed protocols to enhance the effectiveness of agency response to domestic violence, while representatives from 26 organizations and agencies in Guyana recently developed a draft plan of action on domestic violence.

The Caribbean women’s movement faces many challenges on the brink of the 21st century, not the least of which include:

• Implementing concrete measures to optimize women’s participation in the formal political process, where they are inadequately represented;

• Winning men’s commitment to eliminating violence against women;

• Arming women with the information and skills to choose safe, healthy, responsible sexual behaviour;

• Challenging the anti-feminist backlash, which seeks to blame women for the "crisis of manhood plaguing" the region;

• Monitoring and assessing the implementation of commitments made by governments at the recent UN conferences on population and development, social development and women;

• Understanding and accommodating the differences in age, class, culture, disability, race and ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation, among the women it seeks to represent;

• Finding funds to continue doing the work we do.

International Women’s Day was first proposed in 1910 by German socialist, Clara Zetkin and celebrated the following year by an estimated one million men and women who demanded women’s right to vote, to hold public office, and for an end to sex discrimination in employment and training. The causes for which Clara Zetkin fought are still relevant today, as encompassed in CAFRA’s mission: "To celebrate and channel the collective power of women for individual and societal transformation, thus creating a climate in which social justice is realised."