KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Director of Public Prosecutions (DDP) Paula Llewellyn is urging women to desist from having children that they cannot afford to provide for financially.

“If you know you cannot afford it, you cannot sit down in the 21st century and have five, six and seven children and you do not work,” she said.

She noted that these women often get into relationships as a means of financial security, which makes them and their children vulnerable to abuse.

“When you have women who have children that they cannot afford and then they depend on… men to empower them, they look the other way if negative things are happening (to the children)…. . Unfortunately, some of the mothers allow a lot of men to be passing through their children’s lives,” she pointed out.

The DPP was the guest speaker at a breakfast forum organised by the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS) at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on March 17.

The forum was organised to honour and celebrate women pioneers in the public and private sectors.

Llewellyn said it is unacceptable for a woman to leave a four-year-old child in the care of an eight-year-old in order to attend a party.

“I see it all the time… I think some women’s organisations let these delinquent parents off the hook,” she said.

Meanwhile, the DPP encouraged the audience of chief executive officers, heads of organisations and agencies to seek to empower people they lead.

She pointed out that strong female leaders have the ability to take risks and be decisive, and must celebrate and recognise other women and men who do the same.

“It gives me tremendous pleasure when my staff outshines me. Good leadership sets the pace in an organisation,” she said.

Llewellyn was among 28 women honoured by IGDS for contribution in various fields.

Others included former Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller; Chief Justice, Zaila McCalla; Acting Commissioner of Police, Novelette Grant; and Public Defender, Arlene Harrison-Henry.