Forum sets National Council of Women on sustainable path
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THIRTY-PLUS women from across the Federation converged at the Royal St. Kits Marriott yesterday (June 27) to learn of and discuss best practices for and the advancement of the recently-launched National Council of Women.
The eager women sat at the feet of Marilyn Rice-Bowen – born Grenadian and resident of Barbados – who has been involved with Barbados’ “Young Women’s Christian Association” since the late 60s.
During the opening ceremony, Rice-Bowen gave a taste of what her presentation would address, and was careful to highlight togetherness as an instrument through which burning issues could be successfully addressed.
“When we look at the region, in order for us to achieve any record of success we have to come together. Individually as territories, we tend to think that we are big but on the international scene we are minions. So we must come together. You need to remind yourselves that as a Caribbean woman, we are resilient and we need to bind ourselves together.
“There are societal issues such as domestic violence, which even you will find…that sometimes the people that we are interfacing with they themselves are victims of domestic violence. So we have to put our heads together and develop strategies that will conquer domestic violence. We have to identify the fact that bullying had reared its ugly head in our Caribbean schools and we must deal with it.”
In an interview with this publication, Rice-Bowen explained that her session included the presentation of tools to the National Council of Women to ensure that in addition to addressing issues affecting women regionally and locally, “from an administrative perspective, we want to ensure that things are done in order”.
She said intergenerational leadership was also a main feature of her presentation.
“It strengthens a movement and it ensures that a movement continues. Very often people get together and organisations are formed, but when you look around the room you are all the same age and then they are barriers. Some say they embrace women but when they come in and they give suggestions you throw them out or you say not now. But we need to go even further when we speak about intergenerational leadership and go into areas of weakness that hinder true intergenerational leadership.”
The forum was held in conjunction with the United States Embassy in Barbados.
Chaired by Thelma Richard, the opening ceremony featured brief remarks from Public Affairs Assistant at the US Embassy Mary Greaves, Minister of Gender the Honourable Marcella Liburd and special presentations were made by Kerisia Willett and Jihan Williams.
