Where’s the official IWD agenda?

Fifteen groups have announced that they will take part in an afternoon walk/walkout today to commemorate International Women’s Day, among them women’s rights, LGBTQ+ and social justice organisations and NGOs.

A visible presence to commemorate this day is normal, but in the face of covid19 restrictions, a gathering of any kind is almost militant.

There is good reason for public activism. The murders of Ashanti Riley and Andrea Bharatt are only the most recent in a list of assaults and murders that reflect a wholly unacceptable state of affairs for women in TT.

The theme of International Women’s Day 2021, #ChooseToChallenge, encourages participants to call out gender bias and inequality.

In the time of a global pandemic, UN Women’s Generation Equality initiative notes that while 70 per cent of health and social care workers are women, they are paid 11 per cent less globally than their male equivalents in the same positions. Among covid19 task teams in 87 countries, only 3.5 per cent of women had gender parity.

That analysis continues holds true across a wide swath of occupations and businesses.

As noble as the goals of IWD organisers and supporters may be, it’s important that IWD 2021 should focus our observation on the very specific needs of the women of TT.

Alongside the historical prejudices and discrimination, the failure to cultivate gender-sensitive thinking across a range of local issues, including but not limited to gender-based violence, there is the pressing matter of women’s safety and the impact of the pandemic on woman-led households.

It wouldn’t be until Saturday that Ayanna Webster-Roy, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister would publicly acknowledge the devastating effect of covid19 restrictions on industries that employ large numbers of women and the consequent setbacks for gender-equality efforts.

Despite that awareness, no government agency has stepped forward with any analysis, no matter how preliminary, of the effect of covid19 on marginal households and its impact on the women who overwhelmingly manage them. Understanding the footprint of a year of dramatically limited earning opportunities, challenges in managing online schooling alongside childcare and household management will be crucial to creating relevant support systems and measures to redress this disadvantage.

What would be truly useful on this day would be the announcement of a clear action plan by the State to urgently address the lapses in civil society that leave women vulnerable, physically, financially and socially.

Part of that plan exists. A National Strategic Action Plan to end Gender-Based Violence has been before Cabinet since 2016. No reason has been articulated for the foot-dragging on a critical document that promises to lay the foundation for more effective action to address the safety and equality of women.