Gender Justice and Equity in a Post-Colonial Society
The venue was the Eon
Nigel Harris Council Room, UWI Regional Headquarters, Mona Campus. Jamaicans
from all walks of life turned out to what was the first lecture by the honorary
distinguished fellow, The Most Honourable Portia Simpson Miller, former Prime Minister
of Jamaica. The lecture was the initiative of the Institute of Gender and
Development Studies (IGDS) of the University of the West Indies (UWI). Speaking on the topic: Gender Justice and
Equity in a Post-Colonial Society: A Critique of the Ideology of Pulling
Ourselves up by Our Own Bootstraps, Simpson Miller contextualized gender justice
and equity since Jamaica gained her independence in 1962. Simpson Miller was first elected as Member of Parliament
for St. Andrew South Western in 1976 before resigning in June 2017.
According to the Third Wave Fund, gender justice is a response to
people's lived experiences of violence and oppression that legal and civil protections
alone cannot tackle.
Gender justice as a framework recognizes the role that state, legal, and economic systems can play in perpetuating gender-based violence and oppression. Portia Simpson Miller more than anyone else knows of the stagnation that gender oppression and gender inequality play in the lives of women and children. Having experienced a brutal leadership race in the People’s National Party in which all sorts of unkind remarks were made about her, she broke through the proverbial glass ceiling to become Jamaica’s first female Prime Minister. The notion of gender equity refers to “fairness of treatment for women and men, according to their respective needs. This may include equal treatment or treatment this is different but which is considered equivalent in terms of rights, benefits, obligations and opportunities” this according to the International Labour Office (ILO). Some may question whether Simpson Miller did enough as Prime Minister to incorporate gender justice and gender equity while she held the reins of power. Simpson Miller was head of government from March 2006 to September 2007 and then again from January 5, 2012 to March 03, 2016. Simpson Miller mentioned that gender justice is crucial for the holistic approach to development and poverty reduction. She echoed the sentiments that governments must pay attention to the vulnerable in the society as well as to ensure that adequate social security safety net measures are in place to scaffold those sub-groups. Simpson Miller said too much focus was being placed on balancing the budgets. However, this call by the seventh Prime Minister of Jamaica is not new as successive governments have had to accede to the wishes of the International Monetary Fund at the expense of the citizenry in order to receive budgetary support. She mentioned the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH) which began under the People’s National Party (PNP). The PATH Programme is a conditional cash transfer programme to the most disadvantaged in the society. The PATH is funded by the government of Jamaica and the Inter-American Development Bank. Simpson Miller who hails from Wood Hall in the parish of St. Catherine stated that if women are not at the decision making table their contribution are negligible. She urged women not to be complacent in the strides they have made. In a wide ranging speech Simpson Miller said that for women’s political participation to improve throughout the regional parliaments needed a demographic reform. She said that Belize has the lowest female political representation in the Caribbean and stated that Jamaica has 17.5 % female political representation in the Lower House of Parliament. Simpson Miller is of the opinion that this is problematic and that more female representation is needed to influence legislation which would be beneficial to women. She highlighted areas of domestic violence and child maintenance as areas in which more work is needed in order to improve and empower the lives of women. “Women live in a painful patriarchal world” Simpson Miller said. She stated that in spite of the gains women have made more rigorous advocacy is needed to advance the rights of women and girls. Simpson Miller posited that there are many causes of gender inequality and mentioned the entrenched patriarchal ideologies in the society as one. She made reference to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #5: Gender Equality which aims at achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls in order to cement her argument as she reviewed gender justice and equity in a Post-Colonial Jamaican society. The former Prime Minister gave her support for gender quotas in which a specific number of seats are allotted to women in terms of women’s political participation. However, such a system of gender quota can be problematic. While it is foolhardy to think we can gloss over the importance gender plays in both the public and private sphere in the society, we must come to the realization and rather quickly too, that a progressive society benefits from having the most capable and competent individual doing the job. We ought not to elect anyone solely on the sex of the individual. We need a new mindset in the society in which we develop and adhere to a system of meritocracy in which the best person is chosen for parliamentary representation, as well as to sit on State Boards. Simpson Miller was passionate and at times witty as she spoke on the increase cases of domestic violence in the society. In closing Simpson Miller lamented that the voices of pioneering women who took on “politics” are often ignored in the discourse of the wider definition of politics. She praised Eugenia Charles as the first female Prime Minister in the Caribbean as she made comparisons to the former Prime Minister of Dominica much to the laughter of the audience. She urged women to use their numbers for critical change in the society and called upon both men and women to play their part in creating a social environment of gender equality and equity. Simpson Miller defended her legacy and spoke about work in her former constituency in facilitating many needy Jamaicans to move out of dilapidated housing conditions. The troubling state of masculinity currently sweeping the country should be of concern to everyone. It is important for us to engage men in the discourse on gender equality and gender on a whole. It is only through dialogue with men that the society will be able to support women in pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps in a gender inclusive society.
@WayneCamo
Gender justice as a framework recognizes the role that state, legal, and economic systems can play in perpetuating gender-based violence and oppression. Portia Simpson Miller more than anyone else knows of the stagnation that gender oppression and gender inequality play in the lives of women and children. Having experienced a brutal leadership race in the People’s National Party in which all sorts of unkind remarks were made about her, she broke through the proverbial glass ceiling to become Jamaica’s first female Prime Minister. The notion of gender equity refers to “fairness of treatment for women and men, according to their respective needs. This may include equal treatment or treatment this is different but which is considered equivalent in terms of rights, benefits, obligations and opportunities” this according to the International Labour Office (ILO). Some may question whether Simpson Miller did enough as Prime Minister to incorporate gender justice and gender equity while she held the reins of power. Simpson Miller was head of government from March 2006 to September 2007 and then again from January 5, 2012 to March 03, 2016. Simpson Miller mentioned that gender justice is crucial for the holistic approach to development and poverty reduction. She echoed the sentiments that governments must pay attention to the vulnerable in the society as well as to ensure that adequate social security safety net measures are in place to scaffold those sub-groups. Simpson Miller said too much focus was being placed on balancing the budgets. However, this call by the seventh Prime Minister of Jamaica is not new as successive governments have had to accede to the wishes of the International Monetary Fund at the expense of the citizenry in order to receive budgetary support. She mentioned the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH) which began under the People’s National Party (PNP). The PATH Programme is a conditional cash transfer programme to the most disadvantaged in the society. The PATH is funded by the government of Jamaica and the Inter-American Development Bank. Simpson Miller who hails from Wood Hall in the parish of St. Catherine stated that if women are not at the decision making table their contribution are negligible. She urged women not to be complacent in the strides they have made. In a wide ranging speech Simpson Miller said that for women’s political participation to improve throughout the regional parliaments needed a demographic reform. She said that Belize has the lowest female political representation in the Caribbean and stated that Jamaica has 17.5 % female political representation in the Lower House of Parliament. Simpson Miller is of the opinion that this is problematic and that more female representation is needed to influence legislation which would be beneficial to women. She highlighted areas of domestic violence and child maintenance as areas in which more work is needed in order to improve and empower the lives of women. “Women live in a painful patriarchal world” Simpson Miller said. She stated that in spite of the gains women have made more rigorous advocacy is needed to advance the rights of women and girls. Simpson Miller posited that there are many causes of gender inequality and mentioned the entrenched patriarchal ideologies in the society as one. She made reference to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #5: Gender Equality which aims at achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls in order to cement her argument as she reviewed gender justice and equity in a Post-Colonial Jamaican society. The former Prime Minister gave her support for gender quotas in which a specific number of seats are allotted to women in terms of women’s political participation. However, such a system of gender quota can be problematic. While it is foolhardy to think we can gloss over the importance gender plays in both the public and private sphere in the society, we must come to the realization and rather quickly too, that a progressive society benefits from having the most capable and competent individual doing the job. We ought not to elect anyone solely on the sex of the individual. We need a new mindset in the society in which we develop and adhere to a system of meritocracy in which the best person is chosen for parliamentary representation, as well as to sit on State Boards. Simpson Miller was passionate and at times witty as she spoke on the increase cases of domestic violence in the society. In closing Simpson Miller lamented that the voices of pioneering women who took on “politics” are often ignored in the discourse of the wider definition of politics. She praised Eugenia Charles as the first female Prime Minister in the Caribbean as she made comparisons to the former Prime Minister of Dominica much to the laughter of the audience. She urged women to use their numbers for critical change in the society and called upon both men and women to play their part in creating a social environment of gender equality and equity. Simpson Miller defended her legacy and spoke about work in her former constituency in facilitating many needy Jamaicans to move out of dilapidated housing conditions. The troubling state of masculinity currently sweeping the country should be of concern to everyone. It is important for us to engage men in the discourse on gender equality and gender on a whole. It is only through dialogue with men that the society will be able to support women in pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps in a gender inclusive society.
Wayne
Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an
interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues.
waykam@yahoo.com@WayneCamo
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