HeForShe: towards gender equality
LAST Wednesday, HeForShe, UN Women’s Solidarity Movement for Gender Equality, was launched in Jamaica.
The launch, which took place at the Office of the Prime Minister, was a collaboration between UN Women, The United Nations, Respect Jamaica, The United States Embassy, The British High Commission and the Canadian High Commission, aimed at providing a systematic approach and targeted platform on which men and boys can engage and become change agents towards the achievement of gender equality.
Tonni Ann Brodber, deputy representative of the UN Women Multi-Country Office, said HeForShe is an initiative of empowerment by UN Women that seeks to engage men and boys in the work that is needed to achieve gender equality and in the case of Jamaica specifically, ending violence against women and girls.
“HeForShe seeks to emphasise and meaningfully operationalise the fact that gender equality and specifically ending violence against women and girls is a matter that concerns all of us,” she said. “Gender equality and women’s empowerment aren’t always the most popular or well supported issues in the Caribbean. Though some women have bought into the notion of patriarchy, it should be clearly understood that women have now begun to come into their own uncertain spheres.”
She said in the same way that Marcus Garvey called on all oppressed people to emancipate themselves from mental slavery, so too must men and women break with the ideas that support violence against women and girls and prevent women and girls from achieving their fullest potential.
Meanwhile, Earl Jarrett, Respect Jamaica board member, said that the organisation accepts the truth that economic growth and development comes when we accept each other regardless of race, gender, religion and sexuality.
He said the HeForShe campaign represents a solidarity movement that seeks to address the disparities in the outcome for girls and women.
He added that women must count and must be recognised — from the woman who stays at home to nurture families to the executive who goes out to work.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness endorsed the initiative, and said his government has made a decision to launch a national campaign against violence.
“We must take the lead in addressing the issue of violence and the issue of violence against women,” Holness said. “Violence is far too accepted as a currency in social transaction in Jamaica. Violence is far too easy to be used as a means of resolving conflict, and a large part of the use of violence is the use of violence in relationships among the sexes. We have to take a firm stand on abuse in relationships; we have to take a firm stance on abuse against women in particular. It is oftentimes accepted, ignored, not dealt with firmly enough by our laws, or law enforcement.”
He added: “I’m very pleased to lend my support for men deciding to take a stance against violence and not using violence against women. I am He standing for She.”
