The Tribune

By FELICITY DARVILLE

IN The Bahamas, gender-based violence is a pervasive issue. Incidents of sexual molestation against children, especially girls, sexual assault, domestic violence and femicide continue to shock this small nation, in particular, New Providence, the capital. Families are being destroyed, lives are being lost, and the society is hurting due to these heinous acts. Indeed, violence and murder on the whole negatively impact the progress being made as an independent nation, now celebrating 50 years.

But this week, the focus will be on gender-based violence as scores of Commonwealth countries gather in The Bahamas for the 13th Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting (13WAMM). This major international conference is being held in The Bahamas as we celebrate 50 years of Independence, as well as 60 years since women first voted in The Bahamas.

It is a perfect time to meet on Bahamian shores and discuss national and international women’s affairs and make historical moves for the advancement of women. Vice Presidents, Government Ministers and high-level officials meet August 21-23 at the Atlantis Resorts to discuss women’s affairs. Topics include Women and Disability Inclusion, as well as the Commonwealth four priority areas: Gender and Climate Change; Women’s Economic Empowerment; Women in Leadership; and Eliminating Gender-Based Violence.

Gender-based violence refers to violence directed at an individual because of their gender. Men and women experience gender-based violence, but the large majority of victims are women and girls, abused by men. Many forms of violence against women are rooted in power inequalities between women and men. This is a global pandemic that affects 1 in 3 women in their lifetime. According to the World Bank, 35 percent of women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence. Globally, seven percent of women have been sexually assaulted by someone other than a partner, and as many as 38 percent of murders of women are committed by an intimate partner.

Gender-based violence is that it knows no social or economic boundaries and affects women and girls of all socio-economic backgrounds. Right here in The Bahamas, domestic violence is being experienced by people from every level of society. With incidents of sexual abuse on the increase recently, this matter is one of the top priorities for the Commonwealth as women’s affairs are discussed in our country this week.

All of the priority areas being discussed also top the agenda for the Department of Gender and Family Affairs (DGFA) in the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development. By working with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international bodies, the DGFA has been at the helm of women’s advancement for The Bahamas.

A Women’s Desk was first established in The Bahamas by the Ministry of Social Services in 1981, during the United Nations Decade for Women. By October of 1993, The Bahamas became a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

In 1995, the Women’s Desk evolved into the Bureau of Women’s Affairs, with distinct responsibility for the promotion of gender equality, human rights and empowerment programmes.

In 2016, Women’s Bureau evolved into the Department of Gender & Family Affairs (DGFA) with an even greater scope of function and purpose. The Department’s role is to ensure a more comprehensive approach to tackling the country’s social challenges, to coordinate, advocate and inform policy for, and on behalf of, women and girls and men and boys as well as the family unit.

Through the work of the DGFA and its partners, a Draft Gender Equality Policy was created. In 2018, the Men’s Desk was established, assisting in building a coordinated and effective approach to the prevention of gender-based violence.

In 2019, The Bahamas made its official report: the Beijing +25 National Review on the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. It was released during the 25th anniversary of the 4th World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration.

Twelve areas of concern came out of the Beijing Declaration:

1. Increasing poverty on women lacking employment, housing, food, water and transportation.

2. Unequal access to education, training, technology and lifelong learning initiatives.

3. Inadequate access to quality health care, related services, health campaigns and research.

4. Multiple forms of violence and discrimination committed against women.

5. Armed and other kinds of conflict on women, including those living under foreign occupation.

6. Legislative barriers to access credit for businesses, Crown land, and natural resources.

7. Insufficient women in Parliament, on government boards and with government contracts.

8. Limited legislation, quota policies and national projects for the advancement of women.

9. Lack of respect for and inadequate promotion and protection of the human rights of women.

10. Negative stereotype and limited participation of women in media, construction, science and technology.

11. Unequal women participation in the management of natural resources, and the environment.

12. Persistent discrimination and violation of the rights of the girl child.

For The Bahamas, the top five national priorities for Beijing implementation include: increase women representation in parliament, increase women ownership of land and businesses, increase scientific research, increase laws for rights and protections of marginalised persons and elimination of discrimination and all forms of violence against women and girls.

Regionally, The Bahamas, is committed to fulfilling the goals of CARICOM gender equality initiatives for promotion of social justice in education, health, poverty, and the economy. As a member of the Organization of American States/Inter-American Commission on Women (OAS/CIM), The Bahamas is a signatory to the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women (Convention of Belem do Pará).

Internationally, The Bahamas is obliged to fulfil the goals of several agreements, treaties and conventions which were signed and ratified. Some of these include: The Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality, 2005-2015; the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) ratified in 1993; the Beijing Platform for Action, 1995; the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions; the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) ratified in 1991; the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, signed in 2013; and the United Nations 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

But how do these international agreements affect the everyday Bahamian in terms of implementation? They shape the laws that are constructed, such as the recent Protection Against Violence Bill. They result in partnered efforts with NGOs, whose members are on the ground daily in communities throughout The Bahamas.

Women’s groups, youth groups and other community organisations work in tandem with government to bring about change. There is a concerted effort to educate young people about gender-based violence and other issues, with the aim of changing the mindset and improving results in the future. It takes a commitment from each and every individual to really make an impact in terms of gender-based violence.

It calls for people to share their stories. It calls for people to stand up and take a stand against every act of violence, wherever we see it. It calls for families to set down the law in the home as it relates to respect regardless of gender. it calls for communities and churches to provide even more support for families.

All of the Commonwealth priority areas on women’s affairs are intricately linked to one another. For example, Gender and Climate Change is a huge issue for The Bahamas. In times of disaster, it is the women who are likely responsible for caring for infants, children and the elderly. Women have a higher rate of death during disasters like hurricanes. They tend to have more injuries. They are often responsible for providing food and water, when access to these resources are most limited.

In economics, the gender wage gap is still wide. According to the International Labour Organisation, the COVID-19 pandemic set back decades of progress towards gender equality. On average, women are currently paid 20 per cent less than men globally. The Global Gender Gap Report of 2022 forecasts that it will take another 132 years to close the wage gender gap.

The Bahamas, as host of 13WAMM, has an opportunity to move to the helm in the advancement of women’s affairs, helping the world as we seek to take a giant step for women by making unified global decisions and plans of action. The 13WAMM is being chaired by Minister of Social Services and Urban Development Obediah Wilchcombe, as well as Commonwealth Secretary General, Baroness Patricia Scotland.

“Most of our local, Commonwealth, and global communities are in a fight for equality, honour and respect for one another for the result of producing environments that are governed by peace and prosperity,” said Minister Wilchcombe.

“We are looking forward to a highly successful 13WAMM with significant outcomes and agreements towards achieving our theme: “Equality Toward a Common Future”. Our staff at the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development along with other Government agencies, NGOs and other relevant organisations such as the Crisis Centre and Civil Society Bahamas have been working collaboratively to organise 13WAMM to ensure that we show our warm hospitality to our visitors. As the host country, The Bahamas will assume chairmanship of WAMM for the next three years.”

State Minister Lisa Rahming, who serves as lead for The Bahamas delegation, said she looks forward to “focused and strategic discussions on how we can refine our policies and implement programmes to reduce the wage gap between men and women, create an environment of intolerance of violence, and disseminate all forms of abuse and rejection that undermine and impede the progress of gender equality.” As Minister of State responsible for Urban Renewal, Rahming has pushed for the priority areas to be felt by the people of The Bahamas through a series of community empowerment initiatives.

Meanwhile, a high-level side event will also occur, hosted by Ann Marie Davis, Office of the Spouse, and Baroness Patrician Scotland. Cherise Cox-Nottage and Marisa Mason Smith are co-chairs of the event, which will produce a white paper on the way forward for gender equality in The Bahamas.

Panelists include:

• Loretta Butler-Turner: A Reality Check: GBV (gender-based violence)and the Impact on Society and the Vulnerable.

• Marion Bethel-Sears: GBV and Legislation: A Call to Human Rights & Social Justice.

• Gaynel Curry: GBV: A Myth or Reality. What’s the Challenge - A Lack of Coordinated Response to Violence.

• Pastor Barrington Brennen: GBV and Impact on Family.

• Dr Maria Woodside-Oriakhi: Is Education & Training Interrelated to Poverty & Economic Empowerment and GBV? The Implications on Civil and Social Society.

• Cleopatra Christie: GBV and the Society - Is the System a Help or Hindrance?

• Dr Sean Knowles: Mental Health and Wellness of a Nation... Is it Culture, Economics, Denial or a Broken System?

• Dr Theresa Moxey Adderley: Reproductive Health and the Implications of Sexual GBV.