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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
 NASSAU, The Bahamas - Passage of the compendium of Bills amending certain key sections of the Bahamas Constitution currently before the House of Assembly will not only guarantee equality for both sexes within The Bahamas, but will also send a “clear message” to the international community that The Bahamas finds discrimination against women unacceptable; that the country believes in the equality of men and women and that The Bahamas is indeed a world-class player, Minister of Social Services and Community Development, the Hon. Melanie S. Griffin told Parliament.
Mrs. Griffin said whilst the provision of equality for both sexes in the Constitution is the paramount focus of the compendium of Bills, “we must also be aware of the international implications, if we fail to do so.”
“Now I am aware that there are those among us that really don’t care about international implications, but we must remember that we do not live in a vacuum. We are a part of a global community and Bahamians can be found in every nook and cranny of the world,” Mrs. Griffin said.
“In order to enjoy the life we live here at home and abroad, we have to meet certain international standards that are set out in various treaties or conventions to which we are asked to sign on. If we do not sign on, we face international condemnation and I dare say national condemnation. When we do sign on, we must meet the standards set as long as they do not present a fundamental or major departure from our national interests. These amendments, I believe are in our national interests for the future development of our youth and our country.”
Mrs. Griffin said by bringing the compendium of Bills to Parliament, the Christie Administration “has purposed today in this place to do our part.”
“We ask the Bahamian people to do their part in assisting us to rid our Constitution of discrimination against women and men, then we will be able to remove certain reservations we have to such conventions as The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), as well as enhance our compliance with and activities in achievement of Millennium Development Goal #3 which is to promote gender equality and empower women.”
Mrs. Griffin, who has responsibility for gender affairs amongst her many other duties, said it is time to “balance the books for both men and women in our country.” The compendium of Bills, she said, will do just that.
“As we seek equality for women in matters of citizenship in our Constitution, we have no problem in supporting the elimination of discrimination against men in the Constitution in the true spirit of equality for men and women as demonstrated by the suffragettes and their supporters some 55 years ago.”
Minister Griffin said it has become necessary to make the proposed changes to the Constitution of The Bahamas “for ourselves, for our country, for our citizens, for our women, our men and our children.”
“We need these amendments to ensure the dignity and secure the identity of our children. Too many of them are suffering under the burden of low self-esteem because they are unable to define for themselves who they are because of the uncertainty of their citizenship in the country of their birth or the birth of their parents. We have an obligation to them to make this right. The lot falls on us.
“I therefore call on all Bahamians to join with us in the fight to achieve equality for men and women and eliminate discrimination on the basis of sex in our Constitution. The Constitutional Reform Commission has done its part as reflected in the Bills before us today; it is now up to us, in this and that other place and to you, the citizens of the Bahamas to take it to its conclusion.”
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