Contributed
Simms

Avia Collinder, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Dr. Glenda Simms, one of Jamaica and the Caribbean's leading gender advocates will receive an honorary degree from the University of Western Ontario in Canada this year.

Simms, a columnist for The Sunday Gleaner, is among 10 distinguished individuals, including former Canadian prime minister, Jean Chrétien, who are to be conferred with the Doctor of Laws, honoris causa (LL.D.) during the university's 291st Convocation in June. Other honourees include the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's television anchor Peter Mansbridge, and Daphne Odjig, who is considered one of Canada's most influential living artists. Western University's awards committee describes Simms as "an outstanding leader who has broken new ground in the fight for gender equality and social justice in Canada, The Turks and Caicos Islands and Jamaica."

First teaching assignment

Simms, the eldest of nine children, is a graduate of Bethlehem Teachers' College who emigrated to Canada in 1966 to teach. Her first teaching assignment was in northern Alberta, with the aborigines of Canada. She later finished her master's degree at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.

Completing her doctorate in educational psychology at the University of Lethbridge, she proceeded to teach at universities in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario before being appointed as president of the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women in January 1990 by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, based on her consistent defence of women's rights.

A founding member of the National Organisation, of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women of Canada, Simms also became an executive member of the Inter-American Commission on the Status of Women. She was also a founding member and president of the Congress of Black Women.

Dr Simms' return to Jamaica began in 1995 when she attended the Beijing conference on the Status of Women as part of the Canadian delegation and made contact with the Jamaican delegation led by Cabinet minister Portia Simpson Miller, who had portfolio responsibility for women's affairs.

Head of women's affairs

In 1996, Simms came back to be appointed head of the Bureau of women's affairs. She was instrumental in raising the profile of the organisation, relocating it to its current offices at 4 Ellesmere Road, and developing library and research facilities. During her tenure, the institution also reviewed 42 pieces of legislation with a view to removing barriers against the progress of women and girls.

Simms started her own consultancy in 2005, and was senior adviser on gender and development to prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller between October 2006 and August 2007. Simms is considered an outstanding leader who has broken new ground in the fight for gender equality and social justice both in Canada and Jamaica.