Context of the Organisation

This was the theme of the International Women’s Day message – an ever constant reality that the gains of the women’s movement were incremental, and that critical issues facing the women’s movement needed to be addressed. When the Centre for Gender Studies invited CAFRA to collaborate on the Dame Nita Barrow Lecture, it was an opportunity for CAFRA to intervene at the regional level. The Regional Committee Meeting planned for March 2004 was postponed to November 2004, to coincide with the Dame Nita Barrow Lecture – “Caribbean Women – Catalysts for Change”

There was cause to reflect on this theme when in April CAFRA received the sad news that Sister Nartel Greene, CAFRA National Representative in St Croix had died. She was indeed a stalwart feminist who stood tall on the shoulders of our foremothers, and has left a legacy for Caribbean Women to enjoy.

The challenges facing the women’s movement are cause for much discussion including the question – Is there a Caribbean Women’s Movement? What are the issues – political and economic that women’s organisations have not dealt with? Do they have the capacity to deal with these issues? How do we become an inclusive movement addressing issues of race, class, ethnicity, age, disability and sexual orientation?

With regard to age, the formation of Junior CAFRA’s in St. Lucia, Dominica and Belize are further signs of hope.

In addition, the CAFRA Chairperson wrote a significant Paper on the situation of the Caribbean Women’s Movement. This Paper was part of discussions at the workshop during the Regional Committee Meeting held 10-14 November 2004.