BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - "There is no secret that the world is at a serious crossword with respect to our development; politically, economically and socially. Some persons have argued that the male-dominated model has been seriously challenged. Some have opined that women can do a better job than men because of how we are socialised as the nurturers and caregivers of this world. And so perhaps it is time to put a woman in front..."
These were just a small portion of the advice given at the first annual Women and Youth Congress by Junior Minister Hon. Hazel Brandy-Williams, who has responsibility for Gender Affairs and Youth in the Nevis Island Administration.
The Congress was held yesterday (Apr. 21) by the People's Action Movement (PAM) and hosted by National Women's Group and the Young Pamites at the Oojj's Commercial Complex.
Brandy-Williams was the guest speaker for the event which was held under the theme: "Empowering a nation in transition, tapping the leadership potential of women and youth for a better St. Kitts and Nevis".
She said that the way society relates to women and young people is a paradox.
"It says women and young people are important for society's survival, but it is obvious that women and young people are always at the bottom. Their voices are not heard. Their concerns are not given priority. This situation has been plaguing women and youth for centuries."
The Junior Minister said that this is the right time for women and youth in the Federation to create a paradigm shift that utilises the creative potential of women and young people for the optimal development of the country, and in so doing unleash the necessary powers to further advance the nation's development.
Quoting Mounria Jamjoon, a senior research specialist in a think tank company in the Middle East who wrote an academic piece for CNN, she said, "Women must learn to choose their battles."
"The topic chosen for this Women's Congress shows definitely that you have chosen your battle. If my interpretation is correct, your battle, or rather our battle, is that of ensuring that women and youth become and be recognised as leaders in their own right who are capable of assisting in the development of our nation.
"A major dimension of this challenge is visibility. Research shows that empowerment is a key dimension of visibility. It creates national role models and encourages younger women to advance their careers. This battle perhaps has been won in other places such as Argentina, where women have made progress due to their national prominence. They hold high political office and account for 39 percent of the parliament today, compared to six percent in 1990," she explained.
She further explained that women’s empowerment is also fuelled by economic independence and paid work, noting that this is not only a question of gender equality, but also using all human competence and capacity in building society.
The Junior Minister told the Congress that considering 50 percent of the world’s human capital is women, no society could afford to waste the contribution from half of its inhabitants.
She continued: "Our experience on home soil is that we are perhaps on the winning team in this regard since many of our women are gainfully employed. However, what I cannot see is how this empowerment translates into our women’s presence in critical leadership roles."
Brandy-Williams stated that the Federation's society has not yet reached the point where women's contributions are fully recognised, as there are not enough women on business' boards and not enough to hold top positions in the private and public sectors.
She advised women to project themselves in a positive way, be assertive and "fight twice, even three times, as hard to get to where we want to be", adding that men are not going to step aside and say, 'Give women a chance.'
Using herself as an example, Brandy-Williams said that being the only woman, she sits at the head of the table in Cabinet and has lobbied for there to be at least one woman on every Board in Government, noting that if a Board consists of five members one has to be a woman and, if it has seven, two should be women.
She commended the PAM, the National Women's Group and the Young Pamites on their decision to host such an event, but stated that once per year was not enough because women need to come together, support and encourage each other more often.
She left the women with a quote and she said she wanted them to make it their mantra, stating that “it is time that women emancipate themselves to release the leader within”.
"Too many of us continue to live in mental slavery that is the result of being socialised in this patriarchal society. Many of us are just stuck in this mode. But Mahatma Ghandi asserts: ‘The great change of the modern age is not to the world but to remake ourselves. Be the change you wish to see for the world,'" she said.
