Dear Editor,

It is simply amazing that I, a young woman from rural Jamaica, can witness the stewardship of Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados.

Yesterday, May 23, 2022, Prime Minister Mottley received another international acclaim as she was highlighted as one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. Our very own former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller received that honour in 2012, a mere decade ago, and that, too, is a testament to her contributions to Jamaica and the global sphere.

A sustainable society means that women and girls are empowered in dynamic and far-reaching ways. UN Sustainable Development Goal 5, gender equality, explicitly outlines gender equality and equity as an indicator towards a sustainable and inclusive society. Though Jamaica has done some work to empower our women and girls, there is still a far way to go.

And, for that reason, Jamaica must empower women politically, culturally, and economically, no holds barred. This means giving women the right to bodily autonomy by enacting legislation granting safe access to abortions; engendering our society to make real changes in policies and cultural shifts to end violence against women; giving women the room in their professional and personal lives to lead and make real decisions without the patriarchal gaze; and paying women their worth – equal to that of their male counterparts.

I know people will always mention that 2015 study that named Jamaica as one of the countries with the most female middle managers, but I hope by now there is more nuanced discussion in the space of gender equality. Though Jamaica may have more women in Parliament or in middle management positions, women often are not able to make transformational decisions that impact our society. We must understand that women empowerment sometimes spans far beyond just representation and anomalies. Real empowerment is multifaceted and fosters an enabling environment for women (including women of trans experiences) to thrive and flourish in all aspects of their lives.

Still, the empowerment of women comes in many forms and one of them is undoubtedly recognising their contributions to their societies. Mottley, in her Time magazine feature, noted that she was a “…representative of the people… of the voiceless…” She is without question one of the Caribbean’s most prolific contemporary leaders who inspires people to be the change that they seek. Mottley’s hardened advocacy for climate change adaptations — the honesty, urgency, and passion in this advocacy shows a deep and complex leader who understands what it means to live in a climate crisis, as she puts it.

Recognising her efforts will surely inspire many more young women and girls — letting them know that they can aspire to be great people despite where they come from and the inequalities that they may face.

Thanks to Time for recognising Prime Minister Mia Mottley. It means a lot to young women like myself. Her contributions to people-centric development discourse globally as a black woman from a small island state like Barbados is simply amazing.

Kimberly Roach

Development practitioner

kimberlyroach@gmail.com