Minister of Social Services and Community Development the Hon. Melanie Griffin speaking at the Ministry of Social Services and Community Development, Bureau of Women’s Affairs in celebration of International Women’s Day, 2015 Roundtable Discussions on “Women and Poverty” & “Women and the Environment” at the BCPOU Hall, Farrington Road, Thursday, March 5, 2015. (BIS Photo/Letisha Henderson)
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NASSAU,
Bahamas -- Minister of Social Services and Community Development the Hon.
Melanie Griffin said the International Women’s Day is the time to reflect on
the progress made by women, and celebrate acts of courage and determination by
women in helping to advance women’s rights and empowerment.
Minister
Griffin was speaking at the Ministry of Social Services and Community
Development’s Bureau of Women’s Affairs in celebration of International Women’s
Day 2015 Roundtable Discussions on “Women and Poverty” & “Women and the
Environment” at the BCPOU Hall, Farrington Road,
Thursday, March 5, 2015.
Students
from various high schools throughout New Providence attended the roundtable
along with government officials and other invited guests.
Deputy
Director, Department of Statistics Leona Wilson and Director, Department of
Social Services Mellany Zonicle spoke on Women and Poverty. Consultant, Ministry of the Environment and
Housing Dr. Rhianna Neely, and Environment Planner Stacey Moultrie spoke on
Women and the Environment.
Minister
Griffin said: “The focus this year is on the 20th year anniversary
of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action under the theme ‘Empowering
Women, Empowering Humanity, Picture It.’
“Today
we will focus on women and poverty and women and the environment two of the 12
critical areas of concern in the Declaration as Priorities of Action for
governments, the international community, civil society including
non-governmental organisations and the private sector.”
She
explained that a Household Expenditure Survey conducted by the Department of
Statistics in 2013 revealed that 52 per cent of all poor persons were females
and their poverty rate was slightly lower than that of their male counterparts.
Further
households headed by females, accounted for 47 per cent of all poor households
and had a higher rate of poverty, 9.7 per cent, than that of the households
headed by males, 7.9 per cent. The
Minister said the survey also revealed the direct correlation between poverty
and education, the number of persons including children in the family, and
unemployment.
She
told the female students attending the roundtable that these were important
statistics for them to know and for them to take their education seriously,
because as the study shows that there is a direct correlation between the
number of persons in the family and education.
Minister
Griffin noted that in the area of women and the environment, as a Small Island
Developing State, The Bahamas is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change,
which are likely to exacerbate existing vulnerabilities. She said the students should listen
attentively to the speakers and take away as much as possible from the
presentations.
“Students
you are the change makers of
tomorrow for country. So I encourage you to listen attentively, ask
thought provoking questions, and know that when you improve the lives of women
and girls, you are making a huge difference in the human development of our
country.”
