BWA salutes Jamaican women

By the Bureau of Women's Affairs

Monday, March 15, 2010

AS we celebrate the Inter-American Year of Women, the Bureau of Women's Affairs (BWA) would like to acknowledge two of our phenomenal women -- Olivia 'Babsy' Grange and Portia Simpson Miller -- who have fulfilled the charge for women's rights in their roles as ministers with responsibility for women's affairs.

Grange

Grange was appointed minister with responsibility for women's affairs and gender issues in 2007 and is currently one of two female ministers in cabinet. Throughout her career, Grange has been a strong advocate for gender equality and the advancement of women whether in the Senate, the House of Representatives, and at the grassroots level in communities.

She is committed to the promotion of women's affairs with special focus on job creation, health care, and the creation of opportunities for the youth as well as better living conditions for the elderly.

As Minister for Women's Affairs and Gender Issues, she is responsible for several new initiatives, including the recently established Male Desk in the Bureau of Women's Affairs and the Sister to Sister mediathon. The funds raised from the mediathon will assist the establishment of shelters for victims of gender-based violence through the Bureau of Women's Affairs and also assist pregnant teenagers through the Women's Centre of Jamaica Foundation.

Grange has piloted the Sexual Harassment Policy and the National Gender Policy which are set to be tabled in Parliament soon.

In the area of the arts and culture, Grange has ensured that there is gender balance in all areas of promotion and performance. Over the past two years, Grange has promoted the resilience and uniqueness of the Jamaican woman as the theme of the National Festival Queen competition. The competition was also enhanced by way of upgrading of prizes and expansion of the exposure for the participants.

Simpson Miller

Portia Simpson Miller was the first female minister in government to hold portfolio responsibility for women's affairs. Her political career began in 1974 when she was elected as a councillor in the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation. Since then, Simpson Miller has transitioned from councillor to member of parliament, presiding over various ministries including the ministries of local government and sport, labour and social security and tourism. After holding several ministerial positions, she created history on February 25, 2006, when she became the first female president-elect of the People's National Party and subsequently the first female prime minister of Jamaica. Throughout her political career, Simpson Miller has remained committed to the empowerment of women in the political, economic and social spheres. She is concerned with the daily struggles that women face and how she can improve the status of women. She views women as active agents of change who can be instrumental to the development of Jamaica. Simpson Miller is not only concerned with the plight of women in Jamaica, but women globally. She is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders which is an international network of current and former women presidents and prime ministers. The goal of the organisation is to mobilise the highest-level women leaders globally for collective action on issues of critical importance to women and equitable development.

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BWA salutes Jamaican women