TODAY IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Mar 08, 2017 Letters

---

Dear Editor,
International Women’s Day has been observed since the 19th century; however since the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution of…declaring March 8 IWD it has been observed globally and in some countries it is a National Holiday.”
In 1975 the United Nations declared that year as International Women’s Year, it was a year that brought heightened awareness for women’s issues and helped them to gain recognition as there was an effort to seek out women who had achieved/excelled over the years. A number of conferences, both local and International were held, resulting in a number of new initiatives and actions.
There were Four world Conferences Mexico 1975 produced “A plan of Action” 1980, Copenhagen , Equality, Development and Peace, 1985 Nairobi Kenya resulting in the Forward Looking Strategies to the year 2000, this was followed by the fourth world conference in Beijing China, a Plan of Action with 12 Critical Areas emerged. There were Post Beijing Conferences to Review and Appraise efforts made by Governments, the supporting roles of the United Nations Agencies and other International bodies supporting the Plan of action for women’s advancement.
IWD is therefore an occasion marked by women’s groups around the world, it is the story of ordinary women as makers of history. It is rooted in the centuries old struggle of women, International Women’s Day therefore is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary Women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of women’s rights. When we reflect that prior to this activism – women could not remain in the “Civil Service” when they got married or gave birth to children. Yes it was so.
This year’s theme “Be Bold for Change” is perhaps late but timely since, we can reflect on the past and bring to bear the future of women’s advancement, we need to continue the work started by our unsound heroes of the past, those women who fought the good fight so that we women can now be counted, women were able to exercise their franchise, they were able to remain/join the Public Service after marriage, women became City Council members and entered the Legislative Assembly, followed by Female Ministers of Government, Mayors of City and Business owners, Doctors, Attorneys, Magistrates, Judges, Trade Unionists among so many other fields.
While the Teaching profession has always attracted women because of their caring and nurturing roles, women are now crowding the Medical profession, they manage the Banking and financial sections efficiently, they are in the Marine Section, Religion and other areas once dominated by men. Our women have shattered the so called “Glass Ceiling” and need to be acknowledged and (big up) today and always “hooray to the women of the world, to our own Guyanese women who have blazed the trail enabling us to be here. Let us continue to be bold so as to foster the change we so need.
Today is International Women’s Day March 8, 2017; it must mark efforts by the state to ensure Women’s participation in all areas of life, works well with the theme “Be Bold for Change.” Today I wish to call to mind a few women who made a difference in the lives of many,
· Hon. Viola Victorine Burnham who was not only a First Lady but served as a Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister, she was unique and promoted programmes that brought women’s independence, some programmes were the Female drivers, Vance ram and many others, she blazed the trail in the 1980’s and beyond,
· Madame Desiree Bernard CCH was the first female High Court Judge and later served as Chief Justice and Chancellor and later appointed to the Caribbean Court of Justice, she also served at the UNITED NATIONS Charring the Committee on all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
· Ms. Shirley Field-Ridley who was a notable Attorney who gave Advice and guidance to the Venezuela/Guyana controversy, she was the first Guyanese to serve on the CEDAW Committee, after her death Hon. Bernard replaced her on the committee.
· Hon. Janet Jagan First Lady and first of three women to enter the Parliament of British Guiana, she was a Minister of Government and later became President of the Republic of Guyana.
Let us now applaud the work of our present First Lady Hon. Sandra Granger, Mrs. Sita Nagamootto who are providing support services to the work of their Husbands and in nation building and their own special areas. The Female Ministers of Government Hon. Volda Lawrence, Hon. Amna Ally, Hon. Catherine Hughes, Hon. Karen Cummings, Hon. Valerie Courida-Lowe, Hon. Nicoltte Henry, Hon. Simona Broomes, Hon. Anette Ferguson, Hon. Dawn Hastings, Hon. Valarie Adams and all the Female M.P’s. The Mayor of the City of Georgetown, Ms.Patrica Chase-Green, Ms.Geniveve Allen Regional Chairperson, all the female members of the City Council and the Regional Democratic Councillors and NDC’s.
Ms. Mavis Benn, Past Mayor of Georgetown. To Women in the Legal Profession past and present those alive, Ms. Sheila Chapman-Wong, Hon, Justice Desiree Bernard, Hon. Claudette Singh, Hon. Dawn Gregory-Barnes, Hon. Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Hon. Roxanne George-Wiltshire and all the other female Judges, Attorneys and Magistrates. Not forgetting Ms. Gem Sanford-Johnson President of the Guyana Bar Association, Ms. Sadie Amin, President of the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers, Ms. Rose Mary Benjamin-Noble, Ms. Emily Dodson, Ms. Jamela Alli, Ms. Josephine Whitehead and many more.
The Health sector has changed as well let us remember young Claudette Harry (Derry) and all the other female Medical Practitioners. Trade Unionist Ms. Philimena Sahoye-Shury and all the other female Trade Unionists. Our Women in Education Dr. Una Paul, Dr. Daphne Persico, Professor Reynolds, Professor Jocelyn Loncke, Dr. Paloma Mohamed and other Female Educationists. Women in Agriculture Mrs. Elisie Croal, Ms. Cunja and the other women in Agriculture. Our Women in the Military and Para-Military forces. Our women in the media.
Our women in the Public Service must not be forgotten, Ms. Lorene Baird Permanent Secretary, the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all the other female Permanent Secretaries and Deputies. Our list can go on but we must remember our other females who have and are still making a significant contribution to support the women’s work. Ms. Madga Pollard, Ms.Vanda Radzik, Andaiye, Ms. Patrice La Fleur, Ms.Pamela Nauth, and many more like me still going.
Hazel Halley-Burnett

---

---