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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
CCE members witnessed Bahamians turn out in support of the Constitutional Amendment Bills. (Photo: Brendisha Fraser/Jason Cooper)
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Now is not the time to be silent or to stand on the sidelines. It is the time to be engaged in nation building.
Citizens for Constitutional Equality (CCE) are calling on all civil society organisations to publicly declare their support for the advancement of gender equality in The Bahamas. Now that the Government is proceeding with plans for a constitutional referendum on gender equality this year, we are calling on all members of civil society to participate in this nation building process.
Fundamentally, this process is not about partisan politics. It is about citizens working collectively to change our constitution and shape our society for the better; it is about creating an equitable Bahamas that values our girls and boys equally. Now is not the time to be silent or to stand on the sidelines. It is the time to be engaged in nation building on the national level.
While there will be political forces that inevitably seek to advance partisan political agendas, we call on the ordinary citizens of The Bahamas to rise above partisanship and fulfill our obligations as citizens. We have the power to shape the type of society we want.
Gender equality means the equal treatment of women and men in laws and policies, and equal access to resources and services as individuals, within families, communities, and society at large. It is about creating an equitable society where fairness and justice are applied to the distribution of opportunities, responsibilities and benefits available to women and men.
Gender equality is an issue of fundamental importance to the development of the nation and should be as mainstream as racial equality or economic justice. It should be a core value embraced by all Bahamians, needing no justification or explanation. Sadly, there is still widespread ignorance on the issue; and on a daily basis, those who have outright prejudices against women and vulnerable groups like the LGBTI community feed the public a steady diet of misinformation and negativity.
CCE, therefore, calls on all Bahamians, particularly civil society organisations, who share a vision of an equitable society that holds gender equality as a core value to publicly declare their stance. We need to harness our collective voices and speak unashamedly and unapologetically in support of gender equality. If not, we risk allowing the voices of bigotry and prejudice to wield the power to shape our collective destiny.
Whether you are a women’s association, a church group, a student organisation, a service club, a sorority, a fraternity, a book club, a community based organisation: We call on everyone – women’s groups, men’s groups – and anyone with a vested interest in the future of our nation, to let our voices be heard.
The CCE and its member are available to partner with civil society organisations to conduct educational and awareness sessions.
© Copyright 2016 by thebahamasweekly.com
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