Let’s empower women!
OVER THE past couple weeks, Alando Terrelonge, the member of parliament (MP) for East Central St Catherine, shared on Twitter some of the socio-economic problems, including education, poverty, and family planning, faced by his constituents. The MP did not stop at documenting the problems but also called for a culture shift. In the MP’s analysis, two points stood out to me.
The first was when he opined, “A big problem we face in #education is poor parenting and the poverty of reproduction. When children are forced to take turns to determine which of them is going to school on what days; or have zero guidance/encouragement due to poor parenting, it does not matter how good education system is. They are likely to fail.”
His second point was: “Until then, better promotional campaigns for reproductive health & contraceptive use, rights of women to choose, importance of education for every child, teachers and principals MUST report absent children and visit homes, mandatory parenting seminars, etc.”
It is uncanny that we are in a country where our women did not have to fight for the right to vote, a country where we boast that more women are managers, and a place where women, across classes, carry the country on their backs. Here we are arguing for women’s rights and empowerment.
The sad truth is that our women are still policed and governed by the dictates of patriarchy. This sort of dictatorial rule is pervasive in the home and is, sadly, supported by the heavy hand of the Church.
If more women are graduating from the halls of higher education, more women are seated in the chair of managers, why then are they being dictated to, or more broadly, why are we campaigning for women’s rights? The simple answer is, when we address women’s rights, we are addressing the problems in society.
Consider this: If our women had the right to choose, coupled with rights-based education focused on autonomy and decision-making, it simply means that we would have a greater chance at fewer unplanned pregnancies. This would also go some way in addressing the problems of poverty and poor parenting as outlined by MP Terrelonge.
One might argue that women can easily buy contraceptives and/or condoms. I hasten to say it is not that easy. Most women, especially women of a particular socio-economic standing and of certain denominations, are not equipped or dare to negotiate condom use.
Further buttressing my point, regional director of International Planned Parenthood Federation, Carmen Barroso, at an event at the Commission on the Status of Women, told the audience that if the vision of a world free of poverty and inequality was to be realised, securing women’s sexual and reproductive rights “is not only important in itself, but essential”.
AN ESSENTIAL ASPECT
The case is clear for us in Jamaica. Let’s secure women’s reproductive and sexual rights so that we can have fewer unplanned pregnancies, which would ease the burden on our social safety net.
The head of UN Population Fund, Babatunde Osotimehin, argues, “Men must learn what gender equality means and stop trying to control women’s lives if future development goals are to have any real traction.” He further stated that existing power structures are preventing women from exercising their rights, which will undermine the impact of the next set of sustainable development goals. We can see that here in Jamaica.
I am calling for a more effective sexual education campaign in our schools so that more girls can be informed of their sexual and reproductive rights. Let’s empower women with that right to choose.