Noelle Nicolls speaking on international panel

More than 20 years after setting a specific agenda for women's empowerment it is deeply concerning that the Bahamas is preparing for a second constitutional referendum on gender equality and again contemplating the possibility of defeat.

Women’s Rights Advocate Noelle Nicolls shared her concern on a panel discussion during the 59^th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59) in New York City this month. The Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights hosted the panel discussion, where Ms Nicolls spoke as a steering committee member for the civil society organization, Citizens for Constitutional Equality (CCE).

The Bahamas ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1993 and subsequently signed the Beijing Platform of Action at the Fourth World Conference on Women, obliging the government to take tactical steps to achieve gender equality in political, economic, social, cultural, civil and all other spheres. The failed referendum of 2002 is back on the agenda, awaiting the passage of Bills through both Houses of Parliament and the announcement of a new date from the Government.

“We support the government in championing the issue of constitutional equality and are committed to the work that is needed to ensure success for the benefit of the country. In forming the CCE, we felt a strong civil society alliance was needed to help combat the spread of fear, doubt and confusion that would inevitably be brought about by doubters, detractors, religious fanatics, and misogynists. And we feel equality should be a non-partisan cause,” said Ms Nicolls, who presented with four other international panelists at the parallel event.

“Collectively, I believe we cannot be swayed by detractors who advocate for some undefined, non-existent time in the future to take up the mantle of equal rights for women and men; should we take refuge behind the perceived inconvenience of the moment, our detractors would simply continue their diligent efforts to block and even worse, reverse the progress that our foremothers and forefather fought so hard and sacrificed so much to achieve,” said Ms Nicolls.

Noelle and Donna Nicolls at UN Women's March

CSW is an annual United Nations forum for intergovernmental exchange on the progress towards achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women. Non-government organisations from around the world hold parallel events designed for civil society/non-governmental participation. Although she was deleted from the national delegation, Ms Nicolls joined over 60 Bahamians in New York who attended CSW59.

The CCE is supported by the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights, which is a coalition of international and national organizations working to eliminate this issue globally. The Campaign includes a Steering Committee of Equality Now, Equal Rights Trust, the Institute on Statelessness and inclusion, UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), UN Women and Women’s Refugee Commission.

The Bahamas remains one of two countries in the Western Hemisphere that denies women equal rights to pass nationality to their children, and one of three countries in the Western Hemisphere to deny women equal rights to pass nationality to foreign spouses.

“The Global Campaign was eager to have a representative from the Coalition for Constitutional Equality participate in our international panel at CSW59. It is important for activists working for gender equality in other countries to understand the current steps being taken to realize equal nationality rights for women and men in the Bahamas, and also to understand the obstacles to reform,” said Catherine Harrington, campaign manager of The Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights.

“Additionally, given the Bahamian government’s commitment to educating the public on the Bills and its stated support for reforms for gender equality, we wanted to showcase this example. The Bahamas could be the first country to make these important reforms for gender equality since the launch of the Global Campaign. It is also one of the last countries in the Western Hemisphere to continue to discriminate against women in its nationality law,” said Ms Harrington.

The CCE invites women’s organisations, youth groups, trade unions and all interested groups to a free public forum on Thursday, March 26, 2015, 7pm at the Parish Hall of Holy Cross Anglican Church with guest speaker Sir Arthur Foulkes, former Governor General. At the event, “Who Framed the Constitution and What Were They Thinking?” Sir Arthur will speak about gender equality and the drafting of the Bahamian constitution.