The Bureau of Gender Affairs and some of its partners will be staging several events over the next two weeks to commemorate the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day on March 8.
Education: Pathway to Progress is the theme of this year’s celebrations and Barbadians are being encouraged to participate in some of the events.
The activities will begin this Friday, March 4, with the National Organisation of Women (NOW) and former teacher Francilia Greaves, launching a book, Lessons my Mother Taught Me: A Celebration of Caribbean Mothers, at Solidarity House, Harmony Hall, St. Michael, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Deputy General Secretary, Robert Morris, will deliver the feature address.
Soroptimist International of Barbados and Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity will host a half-day Career Day Workshop for 60 fifth form students on Saturday, March 5, at BIMAP’s Wildey, St. Michael headquarters. The children will, among other things, learn how to write an application form/curriculum vitae and the interviewing process.
On Sunday, March 6, the Bureau of Gender Affairs and NOW will host a service at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church, Jemmotts Lane, St. Michael, beginning at 11:00 a.m., under the theme A Hundred Years: A Hundred Voices.
Later in the day, at 5:00 p.m., the Barbados Workers’ Union’s Gender Equality Committee will stage?? a panel discussion with President of NOW, Yvonne Walkes; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Martin Cox; and a representative of UN Women at Solidarity House, Harmony Hall, St. Michael. Safeguarding Vulnerable Workers: Empowerment Through Education is the theme of the discussion, which will highlight the concerns of domestic workers, security guards, shop assistants and gas station attendants, among others. The information gathered will be used to prepare a petition which will be sent to the Minister of Labour.??
The BWU Gender Committee will also sponsor a Walk of Recognition on Tuesday, March 8, to remember the work of individuals and institutions who contributed significantly to the education of the masses.
The event will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Solidarity House, and culminate at the old Fairchild Street Market Square, opposite the original BWU Headquarters.
Also on that day, there will be a celebration of the Caribbean woman when seven talented artists showcase their work as part of a Visual Arts Exhibition, Portraits of a Head-tie, at the Barbados Museum & Historical Society, the Garrison, St. Michael, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Additionally, at 6:30 p.m., Deputy Principal of the University of the West Indies, Professor Eudine Barriteau, will deliver a lecture at the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination, Cave Hill, St. Michael entitled What Love has to do with it: Sexuality, Intimacy and Power in Caribbean Gender Relations. Later in the night, the Centre will unveil its visual exhibition, Craftswomen of our Fate, which will run until Friday, April 8.
On Thursday, March 10, the Democratic League of Women will honour one of its stalwarts during a ceremony at the George Street Auditotium, George Street, Belleville, St. Michael, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Prime Minister Freundel Stuart is expected to deliver the feature address.
Women Entrepreneurs of Barbados will host an exhibition and sale at Springer Memorial Secondary School, Government Hill, St. Michael, on Saturday, March 19, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., while the Bureau will stage a rally and awards ceremony at that location, beginning at 5:00 p.m.
The curtain will come down on the activities on Sunday, March 20, with Silk Cotton Production putting on an International Women’s Day Charity Gala at the Grande Salle, Central Bank of Barbados, Tom Adams Financial Centre, beginning at 6:00 p.m.