The global financial crisis has lead to serious problems for women in Dominica and the region, according to a female motivational speaker.
Dr Valda Henry told the 20th Biennial Conference of Caribbean Women Association (CARIWA) which is currently ongoing in Dominica, that several women had lost their jobs when various businesses shut their doors because of the global credit crunch.
She said that caused major problems for women and their families.
“It’s not just in terms of a financial dependence. It also leads to other things. When a woman has no financial independence on her own she has to now rely on the male gender- on her husband, boyfriends … and with that comes other things. We may find ourselves going back to the 50’s and 60’s, where women had six to seven children with six to seven men, because every man wanted a child before he supported those before his own,” she explained.
Dr Henry said it could also lead to verbal, physical and sexual abuse.
She said HIV/AIDS could also be triggered by the domino effects of the global financial crisis.
“Are we just going to say this is how it is? Women have never been that way. Women have never been people who just say it cannot be done. Women tie their waists and they get it done…” she added.
Meanwhile, Gender Affairs Minister Gloria Shillingford commended the Caribbean Women Association (CARIWA) for what she said is their relentless efforts at supporting women.
Shillingford observed that women in the Caribbean and throughout the world have at some point faced problems related to gender discrimination.
“The critical issues being health, violence and womens’ legal rights … issues which are experienced by women in every country in the region and beyond. This has given rise to the formation of national councils in various countries in the Caribbean,” she said.
According toShillingford, these common problems are what has united women throughout the region and made way for the formation of this organization.
The theme for the conference is “Caribbean Women taking on the Global Economic Challenge for families and Community.”
The conference ends on April 28.
– DNO Correspondent
Not really good…
I agree this is a bad signal. We must be aware of this.
In serious times, MS is highly recommended to face the audience.
I am not sure why you guys are listening to Dr Henry. She is the same “consultant” who … gets paid oodles of cash for the … documents she gives to the Skerrit Administration and the various regional organisations. Ask the Social Security Schemes and the various government departments in confidence. I work with the EDU …
Is that feminism I’m smelling? Yes it is, Dr. Henry does it again and again with her feminist ideology which obviously caused serious disturbances between man and woman in the west today.
This is a very dangerous creed. Until men and women do not take their rightful place in society, all these complications will occur. Men and women can never be equal in the social circle. Their make up are different. If they’re equal just put one rest room for both men and women! Why don’t you all ask your husbands to make and breast feed the baby instead. This feminism is just so ridiculous. They are equal in the sight of Allah, they are rewarded and punished equally.
I do not see what more are these women fighting for? Women’s rights, what about men’s rights? What is the percentage of unemployed men in Dominica? Every business institution one goes into it’s women. This is what is causing the problem. Too many women in the workplace, they just love to stay on the phone. The worst mistake Dominica made was to put a woman in charge of a nation. That is an abomination against divine law and principles. Where in scriptures women were leaders of nations? Yes there were great women who contributed significantly however, our women today are too extreme.
You talking too much rubbish. And stop contradicting yourself. Is either men and women are equal or they are not…
And to reply to your silly statement about one bathroom: the reason why there men and women’s washroom is because all of you men don’t know how to “aim” and “fire” without getting all de urine onto the seats. Just pure nastiness and laziness. All you don’t even want to put the lid of the toilet seat back down, never mind using one bathroom.
As usual all you Muslims always have to get the issue twisted. If you want to have your wife walking behind you instead of at your side, that is your problem my brother…I’m not walking behind any man. I’m a successful woman today who made it by the sweat of MY brow. I raised my son single-handledly while my son’s father chose to play his silly game of jumping from one job to the other, just so he wouldn’t have to pay child support.
Dr. Henry is saying regardless of all the hardships women face, we don’t whine and cry about the system. We do what we have to do to survive. We work in low-paying jobs while educating ourselves until we can move on to better things. Some men on the other hand, prefer to sit by the road-side and just run their mouth about “de system”, instead of looking for work.
So my Muslim brother, if you take a hard look at the realities of today, it’s not that it have too many women in de workplace, it’s that more women are willing to go out there and get a job. any job.
Peace.
This is a very bad signal.
Hugo Grotius State your real name and stop hiding behind your phony name.Are you trying to say that the educated Dr. Valda Henry isn’t capable of nurturing academic and political establishments. Tsk Tsk Tsk…Why is it that as black folks we have the tendency to bring down one another and for what jealousy. Hugo Grotius you need to reinform and reducate yourself before you make such baseless statements
Miseducated persons are persons nurtured inside academic and political establishments. This usually provides a conditioning environment to discourage any thinking outside the square.
Are you saying our CARIWA WOMEN were bred in these environments or has what tey said touched you somewhere.