The Department of Women’s Affairs is gearing up for Women’s Week which is in early March. For the 2008 observance the Department will be focusing on the contribution made by Belizean women. Acting Director Icilda Humes says that kind of recognition should help to motivate change.
Icilda Humes, Acting Director –Women’s Dept.
“This year we are really looking to inspire women and to celebrate women’s achievements in our country and recognize that women continue to play significant roles in our country’s development in the areas of sustainable development, in the areas of economic development. We are highlighting economic development, we are also highlighting the preservation of our heritage, the journey of the Belizean woman; what has the Maya woman been through, what has the Garifuna woman been through, what has the Creole woman been through. And we are also looking at higher education and social sector reform.
What we recognize is that throughout the country we have a lot of women with low self-esteem, low self worth, they are not valuing themselves as we think they should and a lot of times this contributes to the situations that they are in, whether it is an abusive situations, whether it is situations where they have become financially dependent on their male partners and all of this contributes to the type of society that we are fostering, the environment we are fostering for our children.”
Women’s Week will be observed from March first to March eighth under the theme: ‘Women Equal Partners in Belize’s Development.’
