A Salute to Woman

THE WEEKLY GLEANER | MARCH 24 - MAR CH 30, 2021 | www.jamai ca-gleaner.com | I3 THE WEEKLY GLEAN R | MARCH 24 - APRIL 24, 2021 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | WOMAN’S MONTH FEATURE By Opal Palmer Adisa T HE CARIBBEAN has produced some exceptional women lead- ers, and we have seen this even more so now during the COVID-19 pandemic. Women such as President of Trinidad and Tobago, Paula-Mae Weekes; Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley; Prime Minister of Aruba, the Honourable Evelyn Wever-Croes and former Turks & Caicos Premier, Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson have guided efforts that have helped to keep the COVID-19 infection and death rates in the Caribbean among the lowest in the Americas. The theme of International Women’s Day 2021 ‘Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID- 19 world’ saluted the efforts of strong women leaders such as those in the Caribbean. The uncertainty, economic disparity and rising crime rates, ex- acerbated by the pandemic, require leadership that manifests feminist principles of inclusivity, diversity and community rejuvenation that will help shape a more equal future and recov- ery from the pandemic. Sadly, since the start of the pandemic, the Caribbean has also had one of the highest rates of increase in domestic vi- olence and violence against women. Globally, one in three women, or 33 per cent, have suf- fered phys- ical and/ or sexual violence by an in- timate partner in their life- time, but nearly half, or 50 per cent, of women sur- veyed in Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad& Tobago and Suriname in 2020 re- ported facing at least one formof domestic violence, either physical, sexual, eco- nomic, or emotional. This data reflects a society in crisis, which we must work to change. Every reported incident of femicide and, indeed, vi- olence against women and girls in our region, is an indictment on us all. In 2021 alone, gruesome murders of women have continued, including the beheading of Kerry-Ann Hunter in Jamaica and the murders of UWI students Andrea Bharatt and Suzette Sylvester inTrinidad andTobago. The disappearance of blind UWI Mona student Jasmine Dean in February 2020 remains unsolved. Dr Opal Palmer Adisa CONTRIBUTED WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP: REGION HEAD OF GOVERNMENT TOTAL COVID-19 CASES COVID-19 DEATHS Turks & Caicos Islands Sharlene Cartwright- Robinson (2017- February 2021) 2,177 All of us need to be educated on gender-based violence and take re- sponsibility for creating and actively maintaining safe spaces for our women. Menmust also educate and check each other to guarantee that all our commu- nities are safe for all, especially children. Several Caribbean countries, includ- ing Jamaica, signed on to the United Nations Sustainable Development 2030 Agenda, and ending gender-based vi- olence and creating gender equality is crucial to development. Women need to have equal access to education, as this will increase their ability to have power and influence over their own lives. Closing gender gaps in entrepreneurship is also critical. Worldwide 117,234,249 2,602,100 USA Joe Biden 29,656,182 537,214 Brazil Jair Bolsonaro 10,939,320 264,446 Canada Justin Trudeau 884,086 22,213 Jamaica Andrew Holness 26,026 453 Suriname Chan Santohki 8,971 175 Guyana Irfaan Ali 8,772 200 Aruba EvelynWever-Croes 8,089 76 Trinidad & Tobago Paula-Mae Weekes 7,732 139 Barbados Mia Mottley 3,264 37 15 ‘ Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world’