Jamaica 50: Advancing women's citizenship

by Linnette Vassell

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S Day (IWD) has become quite a celebratory event in Jamaica. Worship, workshops and exhibitions, lectures, luncheons and music events mark women's contribution to community and nation building. This is important, and as we commemorate Jamaica at 50, we remember and honour women who have been solid builders of their families and country but have never received a certificate of appreciation. For, as a nation, we do have a habit of forgetting those who have served well but not in the limelight. Remember, it took almost 50 years for us to hear about Mrs Christine Allison Lindo, formerly Mrs Mapletoft Poulle who co-authored the National Anthem! Today, we salute her again and the many women, particularly rural- and working-class women who have held this nation together.

IWD celebrations are also rooted in a progressive activist tradition of organisational building and advocacy. Spearheaded in 1978 by the Committee of Women for Progress and the People's National Party Women's Movement united as the Joint Committee for Women's Rights, the first celebrations saw the launch of an assertive and multifaceted campaign for a maternity leave. The Maternity Leave Act passed in 1979 has become a signpost over these 50 years of women's struggle to confront and eradicate gender discrimination which has remained embedded in our experience in Independence. Women's organisations and their partners, including the State, have developed and agreed to policies and instruments Convention for the Elimination of forms of Discrimination Against Women aimed at promoting and securing women's rights as citizens.

The question is - has our democracy secured the rights of women as full citizens? Can we say we have a genuine democracy if women, 51 per cent of the population, have our human rights short-changed or compromised? I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that in many aspects of daily living women have 'second-class citizenship status'. This is because gender discrimination, rooted in a system of patriarchy, perpetuates the public/private divide which identifies men's roles and responsibilities in the "public domain" and women's in the home with caring and nurturing responsibilities. It is this gender system that has constructed women's citizenship rights as being of lesser value (demonstrated by much talk and little action) to that of men.

Confronting gender biases

How do we reconcile the words of respect for women's citizenship with the daily experiences of women confronting pervasive gender-based, including sexual, violence, poverty and unemployment that women experience more so than men while having to stand up as sole supporters of nearly 50 per cent of our families? This is among the reasons why our organisations such as Women's Resource and Outreach Centre cannot support the present tax reform proposal that would see the imposition of GCT (albeit reduced) on the basket of basic items presently zero rated. Issues of livelihoods, health and security are the issues of citizenship. So we cannot divorce the lack of potable water and decent sanitation from the ability and possibility of rural women to exercise their voice as citizens.

The filling of the gap between women's experiences and the affirmation of civil and political rights of citizenship are some of the burning political issues from our communities. However, after 50 years of political work, such as is taking place in preparation for local government elections, women are only 13 per cent of elected parliamentarians; 23.8 per cent of senators, 21 per cent of Cabinet (the highest proportion achieved to date) and 16 per cent of local government councillors. Let's see what will happen after March 29.

The membership of the 25 boards so far examined show that women constitute only 24 per cent of appointees. This is not a good start and our political leadership have to be held to deliver on participation, accountability and responsibility in governance. This will require confronting the entrenched patriarchy within the parties themselves. This cannot await the 49 years that it took for the Jamaican Constitution to be amended to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex through the passage in 2011 of the new Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms!

There are signs of change and the reality of having our first female prime minister, in the person of the Rt Hon Portia Simpson Miller, is undoubtedly one such commendable example that engenders hope. This, however, does not mean that the power of men to constrain the choices and life chances of women is removed.

This is why IWD 2012 has seen a regrounding into its activist tradition through the advocacy agenda of The 51 per cent Coalition - Development and Empowerment Through Equity - a partnership among nine women's organisations and individuals. In the context of pressing for the implementation of the National Policy on Gender Equality, the call is for quotas; for boards to have membership of no less that 40 per cent and no more than 60 per cent of either sex.

This matter of diversity and equity in the appointment of boards has become one of the hottest issues in corporate governance globally, and as Jamaican women, with the support of conscious men, we are determined to secure our rightful place as full citizens in a true democracy that must, in reality, work for all. Our future as a viable nation depends on this.

Send comments to: l.davisvassell@gmail.com or columns@gleanerjm.com.