The Intersection of Gender, Culture and Education: Jamaica: The Next 50 Years!

According to the World Bank, in 2011, seventeen per cent (17%) of the people in the developing world lived at or below $1.25US a day. This means that 1.4 billion people or twenty one per cent (21%) of the world’s population live in extreme poverty. Undoubtedly, the fight against poverty and gender inequality requires multiple approaches involving government and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s). Recently, there has been an increase in the number of countries investing heavily in social protection programmes to address the needs of the most susceptible in their societies. As a result of such investments in conditional cash transfers, cash grants from the government to poor household in exchange for sending their children to school and for regular health check up there has been an improvement in the standard of living for many families. For example, in The Philippines conditional cash transfer has reached 4.4 million families and has made a significant change in the quality of life ...

"Disability is not an obstacle to success”. –Stephen Hawking According to a World Bank Report one billion people, or 15% of the world’s population, experience some form of disability. The report also added that disability prevalence is higher for developing countries. In Jamaica approximately 200,000 Jamaicans live with a disability as stated by the same source. Persons with disabilities, on average as a group, are more likely to experience adverse socioeconomic outcomes than persons without disabilities, such as less education, poorer health outcomes, lower levels of employment, and higher poverty rates. I met a most remarkable young lady last Saturday She was visually impaired but was in high spirits and bubbling with energy and positive vibes. Tamika was born sighted but unfortunately lost sight in both eyes at age 22.   In spite of her disability, she is a positive, industrious mother of 5 and was all too willing to share a bit of her story some of which was rather pers...

“Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation, public health pandemic and serious obstacle to sustainable development. It imposes large-scale costs on families, communities and economies. The world cannot afford to pay this price”. – Ban Ki-moon   Jamaica is part of the international community which each year observes the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. From November 25 which is commemorated as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women through to December 10, Human Rights Day, the global community pauses to raise public awareness regarding discrimination steeped in patriarchy and violence against women which has genesis in the unequal power distribution between men and women. According to USAID, g ender-based violence cuts across ethnicity, race, class, religion, education level, and international borders. An estimated one in three women worldwide has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Di...

HIV/AIDS is a disease with stigma. And we have learned with experience, not just with HIV/AIDS but with other diseases, countries for many reasons are sometimes hesitant to admit they have a problem. – Margaret Chan It has been more than three decades since the HIV virus was first identified by the scientific community, however, despite of the advances in medicine, stigma and discrimination continue to be   major barriers in accessing treatment and services for those affected and impacted. World AIDS Day is observed on December 1 each year. The United Nations endorsed day provides an opportunity to show support for people living with HIV, as well as, to raise awareness of the struggles and prejudice those with the virus face daily. According to UNAIDS more than 35 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses. It is estimated that more than 36 million people are living with HIV. Sadly, a significant number of people living with HIV remain without antiretroviral therapy...

“Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be One”- Marcus Aurelius The discourse surrounding issues of gender and development is often imbalanced resulting in the concerns of men and boys being kicked to the curb. The traditional cultural philosophy of men being self-sufficient and in control of their emotions tend to nurture this disparity in our society, a practice which should be deterred at all cost if we are to effect the change in how men and boys see themselves and value their existence. It is important that as men we are given the space and time necessary to share our concerns, stories and achievements.   It is also critical that as men we help to raise the awareness of issues surrounding men’s rights in addition to engaging women in a meaningful way in order for societies to have harmonious gender relations and sustainable development. It bares thought that men should be afforded the means to challenge their emotional energies other than through sports. On No...

“There’s much more we can be doing in Parliament, we could be giving more power back to people at local government level, through local referendums”. Theresa May The Jamaican electorate has never taken local government very seriously. However, despite this fact, the country will go to the polls on Monday, November 28 to vote for parish and municipal councils.   Sadly, many of us do not know our local representatives since to a large extent they have not made themselves available to the people. Additionally, it appears that many of our local representatives are unaware of their job functions. Furthermore, many of the parish councils lack accountability and transparency and this has erode the confidence of the electorate. Issues such as unclean drains, the transformation of many residential communities due to commercialization are leading to the erosion of numerous communities as well as to the quality of live we enjoy. There is also the issues of side walk garages and timely collec...

“A change is brought about because ordinary people do extraordinary things”- Barack Obama. Successive governments over the years have failed miserably in many areas of governance, particularly in the aspect of social justice. Social justice is defined by Toowoomba Catholic Education, 2006 as “promoting a just society by challenging injustice and valuing diversity. It exits when all people share a common humanity and therefore have a right to equitable treatment, support for their human rights, and a fair allocation of community resources”.   Injustice comes in various forms and guise which makes it difficult to recognize and address at times.   The unplanned re-structuring of many residential communities due to commercialization is one of many forms of social injustices which require urgent attention. The Jamaican society like all societies has layers of stratification. The society is divided along social classes’ and sadly, we have turned a blind eye to those of influence an...

“We read to know we’re not alone”- William Nicholson Girls continue to outperform boys at all levels of Jamaica’s education system. Regrettably, a significant percentage of boys begin school struggling to speak in full sentences due to their limited vocabulary. The process of reading over the years has been stigmatized as a ‘sissy’ activity in which ‘real’ men are pressured to avoid. Disturbingly, boys who display school smarts are often ridicule as effeminate by peers and even adults in areas where academic excellence by males is typically devalued. According to data from the United Nations (UN) it is estimated that worldwide 103 million children lack the skills to be literate. The news emerging from the UN is mixed as in an effort to meet their Sustainable Development Goals #4 (SDG) of ensuring inclusive and quality education and promoting lifelong learning the UN is reporting   that basic literacy skills have improved greatly, however, bolder strategies are required in achievin...

“Sustainable development is the pathway to the future we want for all. It offers a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship and strength governance”. Ban Ki-moon   According to the World Resources Institute (WRI) by 2050, 2.5 billion people, a larger population than China and India combined will move into the world’s cities. As the global population increases so too are the chances of interpersonal conflicts as we share the space around us. It matters a whole lot that governments work assiduously to make our cities safe and sustainable for all its inhabitants in spite of budgetary constraints. The United Nations (UN) has been around for more than 50 years and has been integrally involved in programmes aimed at transforming societies for the better. The UN has established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) all of which are geared towards ending poverty, protecting our planet and ensuring prosperity for all. Th...

The Jamaican Constitution guarantees every citizen certain basic rights. As a result all Jamaicans are viewed as equals before the law. Unfortunately, we live in a society where the laws are not always adhered to by some of the citizenry. All across the corporate areas and in some parts of rural Jamaica, areas once considered as prime residential locations have been allowed to be taken over and changed into commercial purposes without any sanctions to those involved in such practices. In recent times there have been influxes of junk yards selling used car parts. In many instances these used car parts are stored on top of buildings or elsewhere without being secured. The government needs to act now! Any delayed action will only make matters worse. The situation poses huge risks and hazard for communities all across the country. What would have happened to all those unsecured car parts stored in junk yards and elsewhere if hurricane Matthew had hit us? These used car parts form the basis...

Everyone deserves a decent place to live. United Nation’s World Habitat Day is annually celebrated on the first Monday of October to reflect on the state of human settlements and people’s right to adequate shelter. The day serves as a reminder to the world of its collective responsibility for the habitat of future generations. As the global population increases so too have the challenges. Regrettably, the number of people especially the poor and vulnerable groups, including women, migrants and persons with disabilities find themselves living in less than desirable conditions as they face discrimination based on their circumstances. It is estimated that a billion new houses will be needed by 2025 to accommodate 50 million new urban dwellers. Access to affordable housing is not new phenomenon. It is a global challenge which requires commitment, resources and creativity from governments in order to reverse the growing trends of informal settlements and slums which many urban dwellers now ...

In youth we learn; in age we understand- Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach The world’s population is ageing and rapidly so. According to the World Population Ageing Report of 2015, between 2015 and 2030, the number of people in the world aged 60 years or over is projected to grow by 56 per cent, from 901 million to 1.4 billion. Alarmingly, by 2050, the global population of older persons is projected to more than double its size reaching nearly 2.1 billion. We therefore cannot continue to discriminate against those older members of our society since a sizeable proportion of our human capital and development rest with them. It is estimated that over the next years, the number of older persons is expected to grow fastest in Latin America and the Caribbean with a projected 71 per cent increase in the population aged 60 years or over. The 2011 census in Jamaica indicated that 305,163 Jamaicans are 60 years and over. It must be noted that women tend to outlive men for many reasons and as ...

“The world has changed since 1966 but our determination to provide every woman and man with the skills, capacities and opportunities to become everything they wish, in dignity and respect, remains as firm as ever. Literacy is a foundation to build a more sustainable future for all”. –UNESCO Director-General It is rather alarmingly that data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), indicates that there are 758 million adults, 15 years and older who are unable to read or write a simple sentence. Disturbingly, two-thirds are female. Of the global illiterate population, 114 million are between the ages 15 t0 24, 509 million are 25-64 years and 135 million are 65 years and older. The statistics speaks volume and signify that a lot of work is still required to attain universal literacy. The International community pauses on September 8, 2016 to commemorate International Literacy Day. The day is used as a platform to raise awareness of the plight of millions of our fellow human...

Do not train children to learning by force and harshness, but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of genius of each. Plato The job of an educator is quite challenging and requires much planning in order to effectively impact the 21 st century learner. The issue of indiscipline in the education sector continues to plague policy makers as the search for meaningful intervention goes unabated. Sadly, the creation of a special position in the education system, that of, Dean of Discipline is a direct response of the disciplinary problems most if not all schools grapples with. Our boys are at particular risk and as such the intervention to save our boys should be a priority.   Our male students need a firm hand regarding setting guidelines about issues concerning discipline. However, we must be careful not to crush the male intuitive sense of curiosity and their masculinity in our attempt to corre...