The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE gender equality referendum became “the perfect storm” for a no vote, according to women’s rights activist Donna Nicolls, who yesterday pledged to continue the fight for equal rights.

Co-founder and director of Bahamas Women’s Watch, Mrs Nicolls pointed to a flawed process, compromised spokespersons, and a disenchanted electorate as major contributors to the disappointing but unsurprising outcome.

“I thought that it was going to be a total rejection but I thought maybe questions one to three would be a little closer. In my gut it told me, I’m not shocked at all.

“The whole process was flawed from the start. There was no consultation with those who brought gender equality to the table long ago and hardly any consultation with the people in the trenches with the rights movement at all before it (the Constitutional Amendment Bills) was tabled.

“Then, some of the people who are the prominent voices were compromised because they were the primary ‘no’ people from back then,” she said, referring to the failed constitutional referendum in 2002.

Mrs Nicolls said some persons viewed the proponents of the “yes” vote as “elites,” which impacted receptiveness to their message.

The four bills projected to bring gender equality to the country’s Constitution were “overwhelmingly” rejected by voters at the polls on Tuesday.

Mrs Nicolls said: “I don’t think that the rank and file of the community believe that men and women should be equal, that was evident. However it would not be politically correct to say that.

“People were angry about the gambling referendum and so if they came out with that, it would seem as though they were petty and people are generally disgusted with the government. Then it’s easy to influence people when you prey on their emotions, they chose a vulnerable group that was convenient and railroaded the whole thing.

“It was like a perfect storm and everyone says ‘no’.”

Mrs Nicolls, also deputy director of the Bahamas Crisis Centre, said the reforms should “most definitely” be presented again; however, she emphasized that the driving force should come from civil society. She insisted that the failed referendum was not a setback.

“Those of us who believe in gender equality and are the voice for those who have been hurt or victims of any of these inequalities will continue. We speak for them but it will certainly not stop anything that we are doing. We will continue to fight for human rights, women’s rights (and) a country free of violence.

“It’s just another day. I don’t feel like it’s a step back, it may be a pause, but we will keep moving forward,” she added.