#MeToo, the Jamaican response
The Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) hosted an International Women’s Day Forum on March 8 at the Jamaica Pegasus entitled #MeToo – The Jamaican Response. The event was sponsored by JMMB Group, Citi and Confectionary & Snacks.
Noting that, “the Me Too movement has gathered steam in the US, led largely by prominent women confronting/accusing their equally prominent male sexual abusers”, WLI chair Chorvelle Johnson said that the forum advanced the conversation with a focus on what Jamaican women’s groups were doing proactively to empower women and girls to help them to navigate danger.
Denzil Thorpe, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment & Sport brought greetings on behalf of portfolio minister Olivia Grange.
The forum featured presentations by WLI, the World Bank, Woman Inc, The Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation, and UWI’s Institute for Gender & Development Studies. A special panel on Socialising Boys was led by artiste Tony Rebel, physician Dr Michael Abrahams, and Dr Elizabeth Ward of the Violence Prevention Alliance.
In the photo, WLI chair Chorvelle Johnson (2nd right) is with, from left, sponsor representative Felecia Williams, corporate manager marketing, JMMB Group; Gail Abrahams, WLI member; Dr Michael Abrahams, physician; and Joanna Watkins, World Bank senior public sector specialist.
