Bahamas: CARICOM Secretariat comments on Sex differences in Government Participation (International Women’s Day 3/7/08)
March 9, 2008
According to Caricom Secretariat Edwin Carrington, women in the Caribbean have been under represented compared to men in their participation in parliaments throughout the region, falling short of the target 30 percent. Moreover, Mr. Carrington said that women’s empowerment is essential to the realization of equality, advancement and peace and it is crucial that ample resources are provided to support the implementation of gender sensitive policies and programs at the regional, national and local levels that lead to a insight of gender equality and empowerment of women.
In Mr. Carrington’s words “There are a range of factors which have impacted upon the financing of gender equality and empowerment of women, including economic growth patterns that increase inequality between and within countries, persistent socioeconomic inequalities, social exclusion, youth unemployment, and crime and violence,” He continues “To achieve traction on issues such as violence against women, the prevalence of HIV and AIDS among young women, poverty and representation in decision-making bodies, there is a need for strong actors and even stronger commitments by the stakeholders,” and continues “Generally, strides in gender sensitive approaches have been more likely to be considered in the social sector, namely education, and to some extent, health. But less so in the ‘harder’ areas of finance, trade, transport, rural infrastructure and in the emerging areas of focus for the region such as sustainable development issues…. This, in no way, diminishes the progress made in some areas of legislation and policy, labor market participation and increased access to public resources. Yet the fundamental question remains - how can gender equality be achieved in an asymmetrical social and economic environment? In this regard, the implementation of gender sensitive public management reform realized through the public finance systems provides opportunities to integrate a gender perspective into the process of social, economic and political governance and rights based rationales”
I have highlighted this article because of the national impact Hilary Clinton is having on young women across America in regards to standing up and becoming involved in the American political landscape. For the first time in the History of America, there is a great possibility of a women becoming the CEO. But women across the globe in many developed nations have held the highest seat in government. To name a few, Mary Robinson of Ireland, Chandrika Kumaratunga of Sri Lanka, Sabine Bergmann-Pohl of the German Democratic republic and Vigdís Finnbogadóttir who ruled over Iceland for Sixteen Years. Granted, in the Caribbean, politics in every nation is male dominated in the hierarchical spectrum, women on the whole are not involved to any significant extent, even in the lower end of the chain. To the exception of this was Janet Jagan, who held the seat in Guyana because of her husband’s influence; there would other wise be no women holding top office in the Caribbean.
Our neighbors in South and Central America however can claim the opposite Michelle Bachelet Jeria of Chilie currently hold the president seat, Mireya Elisa Moscoso de Arias of Panama, Rosalía Arteaga Serrano of Ecuador, Violeta Barrios de Chamorro of Nicaragua, Ertha Pascal-Trouillot of Haiti, Lydia Gueiler Tejada of Bolivia, and María Estela (’Isabel’) Martínez de Perón of Argentina were all women were presidents some time in their political careers. But in the Caribbean basin women seem have a lesser penchant to enter into politics.
According to Secretariat Edwin Carrington “Economic policies have impacted disproportionately on women and girls, especially the poor. Addressing women’s inequality in employment, unequal access to productive assets and increased time burdens due to women’s unpaid work can help accelerate economic growth and pro-poor growth. Gender inequality limits pro-poor growth,” This could and is very well the problem. But the question is how is this going to change and how long will it take? It is not whether women would want to be involved in political life? I am quite sure there are a number of women who are Caribbeanites who can and will do a better job than men in some of the Caribbean countries.
But will they ever get an opportunity? Your thoughts on this subject are welcome.
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Andrew
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