Women’s summit celebrates achievements and breaks barriers

Icilda Humes

Advocacy for gender equality has seen women take on more commanding roles domestically and professionally.  In 2005 upon the completion of the Millennium Development Goals the United Nations declared that “every single goal is directly related to women’s rights, and societies where women are not afforded equal rights as men can never achieve development in a sustainable manner.” In fact women have taken up major positions in advancing commerce, learning and culture.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano was at a summit today and found out that women are constantly seeking opportunities for further development through self and collective empowerment.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Women from all walks of life met at the Radisson today to discuss a range of issues from overcoming challenges within the business community to banking and politics. Icilda Humes is one of several panelists to discuss the latter topic.

Icilda Humes, Director, Women’s Department

“We are hoping that mere representation will be transformed to active participation at the highest level of decision-making in our country.  Too often we assume that because there is a woman in parliament that women’s voices, our voices, are heard.  We are hoping that in the future when we look at women in politics we can be assured that they are well in tuned with issues facing women.”

CEO in the Ministry of Labor, Marian McNab, spoke on the issue of rural women and decent work.

Marian McNab, CEO, Ministry of Labor

Marian McNab

“Why rural women? The link between rural development and national development is glaring as is the role of rural women in the development process.  In my view, rural women evoke a picture of hard work, dedication to family including extended family, selflessness, humility, patience, creativity, graciousness and hospitality among other qualities.  And it is these attributes that have contributed to what they have been able to achieve so far and that will eventually break any barrier that stands in the way of their dreams and aspirations and indeed some barriers are already being broken.”

The fifth annual National Women’s Summit was held under the theme ‘Celebrating Achievements. Overcoming Challenges. Breaking Barriers.’  Today’s conference saw the attendance of several notable figures: the Minister of Human Development and Social Transformation, Peter Eden Martinez; the Executive Director of the National Women‘s Commission Ann-Marie Williams and Kim Simplis-Barrow. Reporting for News Five, Isani Cayetano.