NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Zonta Club of New Providence (ZCNP) is celebrating the change in the political Bahamian climate that will usher in an era of greater participation of women in Parliament than ever before.
In the coming days, seven women will take their seats in the House of Assembly — a history-making event. Five of them have already been sworn into Cabinet, including Glenys Hanna Martin, minister of education, vocation and technology; Pia Glover-Rolle, minister of state for the public service; Jobeth Colbey-Davis, minister of transport and housing; Ginger Moxey, minister for Grand Bahama; and Lisa Rahming, minister of state for social services.
For years, Zontians have been helping to promote the advancement of women in The Bahamas. In recent times, their advocacy culminated in the first-ever Women in Parliament session. On December 11, 2020, in a special Parliament sitting, a resolution for women’s rights was presented by the Department of Gender and Family Affairs, Zonta Club, Caribbean Women in Leadership (CIWIL) and other NGOs. The theme of the resolution: “Accelerating the Empowerment and Advancement of Women in Parliamentary Representation, Economic Development and Protection Against Gender-Based Violence”. The session was held in tandem with the observance of the 58th anniversary of the Enactment of the Right of Women to Vote and the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
The resolution called for, in part, the country to “institute quotas for all political parties to ensure that no less than:
- 30 percent of the constituencies in 2022 General Election be reserved for women;
- 50 percent of senatorial appointments by both government and opposition are women;
- 50 percent of candidates chosen to contest local government elections are women;
- 50 percent of Cabinet appointments be women; and
- 50 percent of the constituencies in 2027 General Election be reserved for women, so that The Bahamas will achieve its obligations to the Bahamian people”.
When Parliament officially opens in the next few days, seven women will be sworn in to serve and represent the Bahamian people in various constituencies. Five of them have already been sworn in to the Cabinet, including Glenys Hanna Martin, Minister of Education, Vocation & Technology; Pia Glover-Rolle, Minister of State for the Public Service; Jobeth Colbey-Davis, Minister of Transport & Housing; Ginger Moxey, Minister for Grand Bahama; and Lisa Rahming, Minister of State for Social Services.
ZCNP President Marisa Mason-Smith said: “While the number of women still hits below the international 30 percent minimum for political participation, our organization is confident that this step will go a long way in achieving critical mass of representation if we want to see equality and progress for women in the nation.”
She added: “We firmly believe that the women in Parliament, those to come and those that are [a] work in progress will create ripples of change that cannot be ignored.
“We know that the challenges are many, but our women are very equipped, competent and they have the capacity to form this nation into greater… We are confident they will change the landscape in this country.”
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