Shahine Robinson is one of eight women holding seats in Parliament.
Flair continues its series on women's rights as discussed by the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and presented in the booklet 'CEDAW for Jamaicans'.
Women are 51 per cent of the population in Jamaica and are most active in the organisation and work of our political parties, but only hold eight of the 60 seats (13 per cent) in the House of Representatives and 26 of the 227 seats (15.8 per cent) in the parish councils. Social, cultural, economic and political barriers keep women from equal power sharing with men in the society.
Women have the RIGHT to equal participation in power and decision-making at all levels and in all areas of society and to take part equally with men in government and leadership.
Concern
In the August 2006 report on Jamaica of the committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (36th session), the fact that Jamaica experienced the ascendance of its first female prime minister was welcomed, the committee expressed concern about the low level of participation of women in public and political life at the highest levels of decision-making. The lack of concrete steps taken to address the underlying causes, including prevailing social and cultural attitudes, was also a matter of great concern.
The committee urged the Government of Jamaica to take concrete measures to accelerate the increase in the representation of women in all branches and levels of Government.
Such temporary special measures include affirmative action, including quotas.
The committee also encouraged the Government of Jamaica to implement awareness-raising campaigns to highlight the importance to society of women's full and equal participation in leadership positions at all levels. It also encouraged the careful monitoring of the impact of measures taken and the results achieved, and to report on these in its next periodic report in 2009.
The committee also called on the Government of Jamaica to take all necessary steps to work with Parliament in ensuring the speedy adoption of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms Bill. Currently, the Jamaican constitution does not forbid discrimination on the basis of sex.
Excerpted from 'CEDAW for Jamaicans' produced by the Women's Resource and Outreach Centre, Kingston, and the August 2006 report on Jamaica of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women - Thirty-sixth session. Email wroc@cwjamaica.com.
