BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WOMEN in St. Kitts and Nevis recently joined their counterparts around the globe in observing Business and Professional Women’s Day which was celebrated on Friday (Aug. 24).
The local arm of that international group held a number of activities to recognize the day including a photo opportunity and march to advertise women in business and professional organizations.
Representative of the group Christine Walwyn explained to SKNVibes that the group was founded in St. Kitts and Nevis some 46 years ago by Pamela Ward who, like the others, took a walk through the streets of Basseterre to highlight the day.
She pointed out that although the group has been around for more than four decades, they are now making a concerted effort to have more women taking on entrepreneurship while commending those in the fields of profession.
“The group is really about the advancement of women and girls in our society, and to help women to advance in terms of their leadership potential, in terms of advocacy in the areas of domestic violence and the other empowerment areas.”
Further, she emphasized that the group is pushing for more women to hold higher leadership positions within corporate St. Kitts and Nevis just as one of their past presidents currently holds the position of CEO of the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank.
“We are working hard to get more women on board in St. Kitts and Nevis in head positions; and obviously there are more women in politics,” Walwyn added.
The group also used the walk as a recruiting drive as they seek to strengthen the numbers.
The international organisation was founded in 1930 by Lena Madesin Phillips and is celebrating its 86th anniversary.
BPW St. Kitts meets on the second Wednesday of each month and continues to be an instrumental non-governmental body advocating for gender equality, equal pay for equal work and for women on boards.