Activities planned for Women’s Week

In case you haven’t heard, it’s Women’s Week, and a number of events are planned to highlight the crucial role we play in society. Nikki Tillett of the Women’s Department stopped by our yard this morning to highlight the annual bike rally scheduled for Saturday, noting that this time around, participants will reap rewards for their work.

Nikki Tillett, Co-ordinator, Women’s Department

“We recognise that a lot of women might be turned off if they think that it is a actual competition and they might think of the injury and not being well equipped going to a cycling race. But what we’re going to be doing is having raffles at each station prize pole. And so what we’re asking people to do is come out and we’re going to be having a raffle at each pole and when we get at the finishing at Battlefield Park then we’re just going to announce the winners and the prizes will be given out.”

“Women are urged to come out and join in the activity and to just have a solidarity between women, because I think that is something that is definitely needed if we’re going to deal with many of the issues that are affecting women today.”

Stewart Krohn

“What’s your take on where women are at in 2004 in Belize?”

Nikki Tillett

“I feel that a lot has been accomplished. We have, for instance, the domestic violence act, we have sexual harassment, we have the common law act, and so a lot has been accomplished. But there is still a lot of areas that need to be covered. For instance, when you look at the discriminatory practices that young girls, teenager girls, are facing. When you look at the HIV epidemic that we’re having and you’re looking at women being infected a lot more than men, when you’re looking at domestic violence, a lot more reported cases are of women and young girls, so there is still a lot of areas that needs to be covered.”

On Friday a woman’s health forum will be held at the Radisson in Belize City from one to five p.m.