KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaicans are being encouraged to help break barriers that hinder women’s empowerment and equality.

According to a release, the call came from Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, in an International Women’s Day message, delivered at a church service at the Boulevard Baptist Church in Kingston on Sunday.

Read by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Denzil Thorpe, the message reflected the theme ‘Breaking Barriers: Shaping a Sustainable Furture’. In it, Grange urged people to do away with biases and ‘outdated ideas’ about women.

“If you find that you are holding any bias, if you find that you are holding on to old, outdated ideas about a woman’s place in the world, I urge you to make a change. Start by changing your mind first and then adjust your behaviour accordingly,” she shared.

Grange also noted that institutional and structural changes have been necessary and are still necessary to achieve gender equality.

“And we may have been working to make those changes, but the work is still not done,” the Minister said arguing that there is a role for everyone in breaking the barriers in the way of women and girls.

“We all have a role in the movement to create real gender equality in our country. Real gender equality will translate into gains for all of us – women, men and children. Equality ensures that we all benefit from the skills, ideas and dreams of the whole of humanity,” she said.

The Minister also pointed out that the Government will amend the laws this year to increase the punishment on perpetrators of violence against women. She noted however, that the laws alone cannot work, unless people tell what they know to put the perpetrators away.

“Strengthening the laws is necessary, but the laws by themselves do not work unless we do our part by telling what we know and helping to put the perpetrators away,” she added.

“Will you become one of the champions who will report what you see and help to bring relief to victims and punishment to perpetrators? Will you demonstrate your willingness to be your sister’s keeper and report the domestic abuse that you know is happening?” the Minister asked, revealing that a confidential toll-free number has been established for victims of and people who know of gender-based violence, to help to get people out of their situation.

International Women’s Day will be observed on March 8.