US Embassy gathers women leaders to advocate for more women in politics
IDB approves technical grant for political training course for women
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The time has come for the country to seriously consider gender quotas as a tool to bring more women to positions of political leadership and decision-making, according to former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Allyson Maynard-Gibson, KC.
Maynard-Gibson spoke to Eyewitness News on the sidelines of a special reception honoring women in government and politics at the US Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission’s residence on Friday.
“People have mixed feelings about quotas but what they do for sure is to make sure that it happens,” Maynard-Gibson said.
“And the people who advocate quotes, the World Bank has done studies, the IMF, the IDB has done studies to show that when women are involved at the table in a decision-making capacity the wellbeing of society is very different whether you measure it economically socially the happiness index whatever index society is better off, and I think we should consider that and debate that as well. Don’t just dismiss it, that’s the structural change.”
Maynard-Gibson currently serves as the first chairwoman of the University of The Bahamas’ board of trustees.
She noted the concerns of younger women, who are deterred by the “nastiness” of politics. She underscored politics was a noble profession that was largely dependent on “how you conduct yourself”.
Maynard-Gibson said: “I think it’s an impeccable time, and I really admire younger women, young people generally.
“They don’t have the kind of hangups or self-imposed barriers to life, they live fully. And I think that’s really great, and would be really great [in politics].”
The US Embassy in Nassau hosted a similar event last year ahead of the general election, which saw a record number of women elected to Parliament.
However, the election milestone is not nearly enough for political aspirants like attendee Waynisha Saunders, a 21-year-old law and political science undergraduate.
Saunders said she yearned to see more people from her generation (Gen Z) given an opportunity to access political spaces and make contributions on national issues like crime and education.
“The election was historic…but I expected to see not just more women, but more millennials, more Get Z, and even persons with disabilities and the list goes on. A variation of persons in parliament representing everyday Bahamians – that’s why I feel like it’s important to be in spaces like this.”
Saunders continued: “I had to sign up and push myself forward to be in spaces like this and to make my voice be heard, to be invited. But most times, young people aren’t invited. I feel like if I wasn’t as forceful, if I wasn’t as bold, I wouldn’t be here and that’s sad. Our voice is relevant and important.”
While the concept of rules to mandate gender parity may seem controversial, they are already at work in the youth arm of at least one political organization.
Attendee Celine Scott, 1st Vice President of the Torchbearers Youth Association (TYA), noted that the Free National Movement’s youth arm did not have any constitutionally entrenched quotas, but has adopted the practice as a policy.
Scott, 23, is the only woman in the TYA’s presidential core; however, the association’s executive team is split evenly between men and women. Scott has an interest in frontline politics and credited her two terms as the Youth Parliamentarian for Pinewood for invaluable insight into the role of an elected representative, and the mentorship of FNM Senators Michela Barnett-Ellis and Maxine Seymour.
For her part, Barnett-Ellis said her political career is driven by a desire to see greater representation for not only young women professionals but single moms.
“Things get crazy,” Barnett-Ellis said.
“But you have to keep a calm, calm head. You know, everything kind of only passes for a time. The bad headlines, you know, in a week, nobody’s going to remember them. And there are people who are nervous to get into politics because they’re like, what if I say something? What if I do something? And then I’m on the cover of the paper and then you know, I’m all over social media and you just have to you know, we make mistakes.
Barnett-Ellis said: “But it’s how you recover from them, and how you move forward. And so I encourage them, get involved. Don’t be scared. Don’t be scared of the men. Do it.”
Among the historic cohort elected to Parliament last year, Housing and Transport minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis said she faced pushback due to her youthfulness and gender while serving as an opposition senator in the previous term but pointed to a strong team of mentors and her dedication to ensuring she always did her “homework” when speaking on national issues.
“You’re going to go through some tough times,” she said.
“You’re going to go through some hardships. Most of the time those things happen to redirect you, to put you on a path that is actually more suited for your destiny.”
“And that’s what I tell myself all the time. Stay focused, don’t get distracted. And remember, this hinderance only comes so often, but the success behind it is what brings that joy.”
Coleby-Davis added: “One of my proudest and motivating moments have been to provide keys to qualified first-time homeowners.”
Mentorship was a central theme for women leaders canvassed on Friday, with many underscoring it as a fundamental part of their political careers.
It is a gap that could soon see a nonpartisan solution with the establishment of a women’s political training course that was recently approved for funding through a technical grant from the Inter-American Development Bank. The course will be run by the University of The Bahamas.
“This is a more permanent solution for something that can be available for any woman that wants to run and from any of the Family Islands,” said IDB Country Representative Daniela Carrera Marquis.
She continued: “You have excellent examples in The Bahamas. You should go out there and try to do it. Get a mentor, get someone that can lead you when you feel a little bit frightened. It’s always like that, it is always going to be like that unless you become half of the population, we are always going to feel vulnerable.”
Carrera Marquis added: “Just go out and do it and we will make things better for this country and for the whole region.”
Among the women leaders canvassed by Eyewitness News on Friday, the overwhelming consensus was that there was no better time to dive into politics than right now.
Senate President Lashell Adderley stressed women must realize that in order to make a difference or have a voice for issues that concern women and children, they cannot wait for other persons to make that impact for them.
Adderley said: “We can’t do that by being on the outside looking in. When you look at various political general elections and the race for the cabinet or for the members of parliament, women lead the majority of those campaigns.
“So if we’re doing it for others, then why can’t we do it for ourselves?” she added.
Maynard-Gibson advised women interested in entering politics to get started at the local level, adding that it did not have to be a constituency branch.
“Get involved in an NGO, impact people’s lives, learn how to organize with other people, learn how to be a team player, because politics is about serving. So do things that showcase your capacity to serve and that makes a difference.”
She added: “People can tell, people can actually feel when you are real. People feel that.”
