Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Monday continued her campaign on behalf of women and girls when she addressed youth delegates of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in London.
Speaking in her capacity as the first woman to be chair of the Commonwealth, Persad-Bissessar told delegates while women have reached the highest levels in every field the road to leadership is still a challenging one.
“As the first woman Prime Minister of my country and one of only a mere handful of women Heads of State and Government across the Commonwealth and the world, I know first-hand, the obstacles and challenges we face in becoming leaders,” she said.
“I also know about the road blocks we experience in pursuing our vision to transform the world if we wish to be genuine agents of change.”
Persad-Bissessar said despite the challenges women must never forget why they persist in pursuing a leadership path and why they insist in persevering as leaders.
“Every day, we bear witness to the plight of women who are innocently caught up in senseless wars and strife torn situations that often times seem pointless.
“In spite of the promise of international support and indeed the many pledges, action to make a difference is sorely lacking,” she said.
She noted the problems that small island states face, including the growing trade in small arms and light weapons that increase conflicts.
She gave some examples to illustrate her point, noting that the Caribbean is as vulnerable as other small island states in the Commonwealth:
- There are around half a billion military small arms around the world
- Some 300 thousand to half a million people around the world are killed by them each year and that
- They are the major cause of civilian casualties in modern conflicts.
=She also spoke of the need for leaders within the Commonwealth to “act with despatch” in dealing with the many challenges posed by global warming and climate change.
“It is no secret that rising temperatures and sea levels are increasing and are affecting coastline communities in several Commonwealth States. This is impacting negatively on agricultural production, threatening food security and infiltrating fresh water aquifers,” she said.
“It is incumbent upon us, as Leaders and People of the Commonwealth to do all that is humanly possible to bequeath onto tomorrow’s youth, a world better than the one we inherited.”
Persad-Bissessar said women are at the centre of the mental and psychological trauma caused by these human induced problems and natural disasters and women are the ones who have to lead the charge even though they occupy less than one fifth of the leadership positions in the Commonwealth and globally.
“I am sure that the Commonwealth and Industrialized countries, on their own, could benefit from women in leadership positions,” she suggested.
The Prime Minister said now is the time for “recognition of merit without gender bias” and she called on the Commonwealth to put an end to structures and systems which institutionalize gender inequality of opportunity.
“I firmly believe that the Commonwealth needs to make available to the many women of merit, opportunities to compete fairly for leadership positions,” she said.
She lamented the fact that 54 per cent of girls across the Commonwealth are illiterate and demanded that it change because of the immense societal costs and economic futility of policies that deny women educational opportunity.
“I strongly advocate that Commonwealth countries prioritize equal access to education for girls thus increasing our human capital to spur on higher levels of development in their home countries and in the world,” she said noting that the evidence to support enlightened policies for women is abundant and clear.
“Research has shown that businesses owned by women in the high, middle and low-income countries are growing faster than those owned by men.
“In many Asian countries, women entrepreneurs have become the new driving force in the economy. In Singapore, for instance, women’s entrepreneurship contributes over 60 per cent of the Gross National Product.
“And all of this is taking place because women have only now begun to meaningfully access tertiary education,” she said.
“In my own country, young secondary school girls are excelling whilst my government is engaging more women in the decision-making process.
“We would do well in all our countries to free up the entrepreneurial domain and to design a financing support system that matches this possibility.”
Persad-Bissessar noted a study done for the Commonwealth Secretariat that recommended Commonwealth-wide Declarations and Parliamentary Motions on investing in women.
And she suggested that Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians should purpose this in the Parliaments and Legislatures in the various CPA Regions.
"We should work together to make investment in women a real concept by encouraging women to make a real investment in themselves, their ideas and their energy,” the Prime Minister said.
“This will unleash a tremendous wealth-generating force in the world through the self empowerment of women.”
Persad-Bissessar said if leaders empower women, then the women themselves become active agents of change and make transformation happen everywhere.
“Climbing the social ladder has its untold ugly psychological disfigurement. It is no secret that women face all forms of abuse with research showing that one in every three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex or mentally tortured…
“In Canada, the Centre for Research in Women’s health identified violence as the number one health issue, costing the government $385 million to $15 billion annually. In Australia, the cost of the problem is an estimated $11.4 billion annually.
She said the time has come for a cohesive global effort on the part of leaders of all countries throughout the world to implement policies to deal with these problems.
“I strongly recommend that member countries implement the Commonwealth Action Plan for Gender Equality which calls for “Zero Tolerance” against gender-based violence, understanding that an important component of the cure is the rehabilitation of perpetrators.
She admitted, however, that leaders need to get the support of citizens if they are to achieve these goals.
She put that challenge to the youth delegates.
“You are…the world’s future leaders and citizens and you must realise that the greatest revolution in our generation is that of human beings, who by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives…
“The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them, changes both the maker and the destination,” Persad-Bissessar said.
She told her audience, “Every country in this world can become a better place for women and children, a place of true equality and fair treatment for them, if you resolve to make it that place.”
She said the time has come “for us to dismantle the barriers that prevent women from realizing their full potential because they hold the key to the sustained development of our Commonwealth family of nations…
“No longer should we be seen simply as sex symbols, hidden in the background as devoted spouses and excellent caregivers but side by side as equal partners.
“As women, we must be steadfast in our resolve to demand, from our male counterparts, respect and dignity. By our actions, they must know and strongly believe that “investing in us, women, is a template for the transformation of the world” that will benefit all of mankind."
“It is no secret that rising temperatures and sea levels are increasing and are affecting coastline communities in several Commonwealth States. This is impacting negatively on agricultural production, threatening food security and infiltrating fresh water aquifers,” she said.
“It is incumbent upon us, as Leaders and People of the Commonwealth to do all that is humanly possible to bequeath onto tomorrow’s youth, a world better than the one we inherited.”
Persad-Bissessar said women are at the centre of the mental and psychological trauma caused by these human induced problems and natural disasters and women are the ones who have to lead the charge even though they occupy less than one fifth of the leadership positions in the Commonwealth and globally.
“I am sure that the Commonwealth and Industrialized countries, on their own, could benefit from women in leadership positions,” she suggested.
The Prime Minister said now is the time for “recognition of merit without gender bias” and she called on the Commonwealth to put an end to structures and systems which institutionalize gender inequality of opportunity.
“I firmly believe that the Commonwealth needs to make available to the many women of merit, opportunities to compete fairly for leadership positions,” she said.
She lamented the fact that 54 per cent of girls across the Commonwealth are illiterate and demanded that it change because of the immense societal costs and economic futility of policies that deny women educational opportunity.
“I strongly advocate that Commonwealth countries prioritize equal access to education for girls thus increasing our human capital to spur on higher levels of development in their home countries and in the world,” she said noting that the evidence to support enlightened policies for women is abundant and clear.
“Research has shown that businesses owned by women in the high, middle and low-income countries are growing faster than those owned by men.
“In many Asian countries, women entrepreneurs have become the new driving force in the economy. In Singapore, for instance, women’s entrepreneurship contributes over 60 per cent of the Gross National Product.
“And all of this is taking place because women have only now begun to meaningfully access tertiary education,” she said.
“In my own country, young secondary school girls are excelling whilst my government is engaging more women in the decision-making process.
“We would do well in all our countries to free up the entrepreneurial domain and to design a financing support system that matches this possibility.”
Persad-Bissessar noted a study done for the Commonwealth Secretariat that recommended Commonwealth-wide Declarations and Parliamentary Motions on investing in women.
And she suggested that Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians should purpose this in the Parliaments and Legislatures in the various CPA Regions.
"We should work together to make investment in women a real concept by encouraging women to make a real investment in themselves, their ideas and their energy,” the Prime Minister said.
“This will unleash a tremendous wealth-generating force in the world through the self empowerment of women.”
Persad-Bissessar said if leaders empower women, then the women themselves become active agents of change and make transformation happen everywhere.
“Climbing the social ladder has its untold ugly psychological disfigurement. It is no secret that women face all forms of abuse with research showing that one in every three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex or mentally tortured…
“In Canada, the Centre for Research in Women’s health identified violence as the number one health issue, costing the government $385 million to $15 billion annually. In Australia, the cost of the problem is an estimated $11.4 billion annually.
She said the time has come for a cohesive global effort on the part of leaders of all countries throughout the world to implement policies to deal with these problems.
“I strongly recommend that member countries implement the Commonwealth Action Plan for Gender Equality which calls for “Zero Tolerance” against gender-based violence, understanding that an important component of the cure is the rehabilitation of perpetrators.
She admitted, however, that leaders need to get the support of citizens if they are to achieve these goals.
She put that challenge to the youth delegates.
“You are…the world’s future leaders and citizens and you must realise that the greatest revolution in our generation is that of human beings, who by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives…
“The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them, changes both the maker and the destination,” Persad-Bissessar said.
She told her audience, “Every country in this world can become a better place for women and children, a place of true equality and fair treatment for them, if you resolve to make it that place.”
She said the time has come “for us to dismantle the barriers that prevent women from realizing their full potential because they hold the key to the sustained development of our Commonwealth family of nations…
“No longer should we be seen simply as sex symbols, hidden in the background as devoted spouses and excellent caregivers but side by side as equal partners.
“As women, we must be steadfast in our resolve to demand, from our male counterparts, respect and dignity. By our actions, they must know and strongly believe that “investing in us, women, is a template for the transformation of the world” that will benefit all of mankind."
No comments:
Post a Comment