AHEAD of International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated annually on March 8, women’s rights advocate and political commentator Dr Nadeen Spence is insisting that the day was never designed to be a celebration, but rather an observation.

“International Women’s Day is not and was not expected to be a celebration. It was to be a day when we focus on women’s place in history, when we look at the work that still needed to be done, to continue to do the work that is needed for the advancement of the rights of women and girls. We would also acknowledge how far we have come,” Spence told the Jamaica Observer.

“Women are human beings who were denied access to the full gamut of human rights for much of modern human existence. Of course, we have some way to go. The matter of the respect for human rights is not a destination. It is a process and as we advance as a human society, the quality of our existence as a community of citizens is dependent on us helping each other to recognise our collective humanity,” she continued.

Oftentimes, discussions around IWD narrow topics down to women as a separate and isolated group, and Spence said this undermines the real, serious issue at hand.

“It’s equality and respect for the full human rights of all people. Never forget that women’s rights are human rights. So, please, don’t say women-related causes. Speak to human rights and a recognition that women’s advance is the advance of human rights,” she related.

Likewise, executive director of Jamaicans For Justice (JFJ) Mickel Jackson said Jamaica has come a “far way” in advancing gender equality, but there is still a far way to go. She pointed to the necessity of championing causes opposing violence against women and inequality among others.

“While we agree that there is much to celebrate in how far we are, we believe that, in focusing only on the progress, we can make the mistake of not really looking at some of the long-standing issues that need addressing,” she said in an interview last Saturday.

“For example, the Domestic Violence Act still does not offer sufficient protection for women who are abused within domestic settings. We see, for example, that even to get a protection order, if a partner who was violating that woman breaches that protection order then you’re talking about a mere $10,000 fine or up to three months imprisonment,” the JFJ executive director said.

This, Jackson added, offers no deterrent. Moreover, she argued that parliamentarians have not gone far enough and have not made significant progress in addressing Jamaica’s sexual offences law to address rape victims not getting access to justice.

“So we have made progress, but, unfortunately, we have not gotten far enough, and we hope that the day will be used as a way of looking at what the long-standing and outstanding issues are rather than looking at this thing at a surface level that will not see real advancement for gender equality in Jamaica.”

Carla Gullotta, executive director of human rights group Stand up for Jamaica, agreed. She argued that a robust campaign is needed to educate women that violence has nothing to do with love.

“Their fears are the effect of the insufficient engagement of our society in working on men and women together to introduce the concept of equal rights and dignity. Women need support in their claims, they need shelters to go when the family house becomes a living hell, and they need to know that nobody will use their difficulties to take custody of their children,” she said.

“They need to know and trust a system where, while violence is punished, instruments are offered to them to build their independence and self-awareness, and their requested need to be honoured by our Government with a robust legislative framework.”

In the meantime, Audrey Hinchcliffe, CEO of Manpower and Maintenance Services Ltd Group, is adamant that attention must be placed on the gains over the years.

Hinchcliffe said, while it may be true that the work is far from over, the current efforts being made to support women should not be undermined.

“I think things are being done. I know a lot of companies are doing things. For example, my company, we have M’Power Women’s Group. I’m the patron, and I made a donation of $1 million to it in 2021 when it was launched. The purpose of it is to empower women through education, training and employment. We give scholarships to the daughters of women working at Manpower.

“Last year a scholarship of $250,000 went to the daughter of a director of the company, who died after contracting COVID-19. This year it is going to the daughter of one of the janitors. We are giving her the difference in the amount that is required for her school fee at UTech [University of Technology, Jamaica]. And because it is less than the $250,000 scholarship, we sent out a memo say if there’s anybody else who needs assistance with books, boarding and exam fees, they can apply as well,” Hinchcliffe added.

She reiterated that many groups are putting actions behind their words.

“I am aware that companies are having functions and awarding women. It is not just talking. Companies are not just out there talking; they are doing things. The conversation is true that crime and violence affects women, but a lot of companies are working, so I would not support that point that it is all talk, because from where I sit I know things are happening out there,” she said.