The National Commission of Trinidad and Tobago for UNESCO joins the national and international communities in celebrating Sunday, March 8th 2020, as “International Women’s Day,” as designated by the United Nations (UN). In doing so, the people of Trinidad and Tobago and the peoples of the world, will acknowledge the inherent, pivotal role women play towards sustainable development. It is through women that future generations are born and nurtured and economic development facilitated, among other things, via unpaid domestic work, which creates stable-minded, productive individuals who can contribute to society and to the economy. Not only are women home makers and care takers of the family, including our young and elderly, but they are also leaders, efficient managers of scarce resources and possess an inner resilience for managing and surviving under difficult economic circumstances. This is particularly so in their critical role as mothers. Throughout history, women have made sterling contributions in various fields of development, from traditional sectors such as agriculture, to non-traditional areas such as medicine, science, sport and politics.
The Commission accordingly welcomes andapplauds the strides that Trinidad and Tobago has made towards promoting gender equality and the rights of women and girls, in the context of balanced national development. The country has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and has achieved gender parity in education since 2009. Trinidad and Tobago has also adopted in its National Development Policy Agenda, Agenda 2030, the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, which prioritizes the empowerment of women and girls. Women are also very visible leaders in key positions, as the country can boast of having a sitting female Head of State, a former female Prime Minister and currently, female holders of both the Offices of President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
In keeping with UNESCO’s mandate to promote peace and understanding through dialogue and to help people live as global citizens, free of hate and intolerance, the Commission underscores the need for greater efforts by all citizens, stakeholder agencies and groups, and by the national community as a whole, towards promoting and protecting the rights of women and girls in Trinidad and Tobago. This includes comprehensively addressing the issue and dealing with the consequences of domestic/ gender based violence.
Let us all therefore recall that Women’s Rights are Human Rights, and so as a society, we must become more vigilant in ensuring that both our personal and professional conduct are in full accord with the established international standards and practices in respecting and protecting women and girls and their rights.
The National Commission extends best wishes and sincerest thanks to all women in Trinidad and Tobago for their ongoing contribution to national life and to national development. Happy International Women’s Day!