International Solidarity Days

International Women’s Day highlighted achievements of women around the region. A Regional Media Release was prepared and circulated to Media Houses and National Representatives. Similar action was taken for the International Day for Women’s Health (May 28) with focus on access for Adolescents to Sexual and Reproductive Health Education, Information and Services.

September 28, the Day for the decriminalisation of abortion in Latin America and the Caribbean was observed with a high profile in the regional media, and at national level. The CAFRA News Release emphasised the critical reality that complications from unsafe and clandestine abortions are the leading cause of death for women of child-bearing age. It stressed the need to implement the provision of the ICPD Platform of Action where Governments agreed that women with complications from unsafe abortions should not be denied health care.

November 25th, the International Day to end Violence Against Women was supported through a relevant News Release. During this month, the 8th Latin America and Caribbean Feminist Encounter was held in the Dominican Republic. This coincided with the Commemoration of November 25, and an International March was held. Participants from all of the CAFRA member countries participated with the assistance of HBF and OXFAM GB.

In observance of 1999 as the International Year of Older Adults, CAFRA held a Seminar on Older Women in Belize. The two issues of CAFRA News featured articles on Older Adults. One article noted that "When we examine the status of older women, again we note that wmen live longer than men; there are more female elders than male, women do now and will continue to constitute the greater proportion of the "oldest old" - persons 75 years and older".

In addition there is the likelihood that the older woman will live alone in her later years due to "widowhood". However, demographics are not the only reason for urging that attention be paid to the status of female elders in the caribbean. There are two other critical factors that should be taken int consideration. The first is the influence of gender in the soco-psychological, economic and public spheres, and the second is the impact of contemporary macro-economic plicy. Both of these have implications for the quality of life which Caribbean women enjoy.

CAFRA participated in an UNECLAC sponsored seminar on preparations for the World Summit on Social Development (WSSD+5), and activities for the International Year of Older Adults.