Hanna-Martin: ‘We need more voices of women’

Hanna-Martin: ‘We need more voices of women’
Former Transport and Aviation Minister Glenys Hanna Martin

Scores of teenaged girls were encouraged by Member of Parliament for Englerston Glenys Hanna-Martin on Friday, to show up in all categories of life as the best version of themselves to make a difference.

Hanna-Martin’s words came at the 14th annual Girls Leadership Conference hosted by Strengthening, transforming, restoring, affirming young women (S.T.R.A.W.) Incorporated Centre for Women© held at the British Colonial Hilton.

The one-day conference, held under the acronym G.R.I.T (Guts, Resilience, Initiative, Tenacity), encouraged female students to make strides in the world and boasted key speaker including Hanna-Martin, Reverend Angela Palacious, international consultant Charo Walker and entrepreneur and philanthropist Gina Knowles.

“I’ve had the rare privilege of serving twice in the Cabinet in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas,” said Hanna-Martin.

“I also serve a very small cadre of women who have ever served in the Parliament or Cabinet in our country. When you consider that women represent more than half of the population and that in the last two general election women represented more than half in the number of total votes yet there are very few voices among us who sit in the halls of parliament.

“We need more voices of women. This is imperative if we are to be the best we can be as a Bahamian people.”

S.T.R.A.W. Inc. is a non-profit youth development center for young women to be directed and encouraged against the odds of influential social messages that would otherwise threaten the self-worth of young women.

The conference touched on many social topics, in particular, the exploration of skill sets for dynamic women.

Hanna-Martin encouraged young females during her presentation that there is a place for women in the country to rise up.

“You may remember Hillary Clinton’s most recent run for the presidency of the United States of America and she spoke of her desire to shatter the glass ceiling into a million pieces by becoming the first woman in that country by becoming elected.

“The real history has yet to be made, but it will happen. In our own country there will be a woman prime minister who will lead to the Bahamian people to greatness.”