In recognition of International Women's Day, March 8, a number of women's organisations - linked with the Association of Women's Organisations in Jamaica (AWOJA), have planned several activities to mark the day. These organisations include Woman Inc Women's Media Watch, Jamaica Women's Political Caucus, Women's Resource and Outreach Centre (WROC), Soroptimist Club, Jamaica Household Workers' Association, and the Caribbean Association of Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA).
On Wednesday, March 5, Women's Media Watch will host a workshop for the Mustard Seed Communities at noon at Mahoe Drive, Kingston 11. AWOJA members will also participate in a conflict resolution workshop, organised by the Council of Voluntary Social Services, under the theme, 'Using Conflict Resolution Strategically in the Home, the Workplace and the Community, from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the Dispute Resolution Foundation Office, 5 Camp Road, Kingston 4.
According to the president of AWOJA, Hermione McKenzie, at least 14 events have been planned to take place from March 5 to 28, in an effort by some of its member organisations to keep women's issues on the front burner during the month. These women's organisations continue to make a positive impact on their communities by engaging residents in a number of programmes and activities, she said.
One such event for the month will be the Rose Leon Memorial Lecture and Fund-raising Dinner set for Friday, March 7, at 7 p.m. at the Knutsford Court Hotel. In addition, WROC has planned a series of events, beginning with a 25th anniversary celebration on March 7 at WROC from 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., in the Lyndhurst/Greenwich Community.
Awards ceremony
Also on March 7, UWI Centre for Gender and Development Studies will be hosting a Dorian Powell award ceremony and International Woman's day presentation at the UWI Undercroft at 5:00 p.m.
In addition to a service of thanksgiving, to be held in association with the women's ministry of the Kencot Seventh-day Adventist Church at 9:00 a.m. at the same venue on March 8, Woman Inc will also be hosting a series of domestic-violence intervention training workshops for police personnel and other community representatives between March 11 and 19 in Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Kingston.
The Soroptimist Club of Kingston has planned a seminar under the theme 'The Social Impact of Domestic Violence' for March 8 at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., while the Jamaica Household Workers' Association will be hosting a health fair on March 15 at the Bureau of Women's Affairs, 4 Ellesmere Road, Kingston 10, from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
In addition, CAFRA will be holding a workshop, 'Accessing Credit and Resources for the Empowerment of Women' on March 28, at the PCJ Auditorium, Trafalgar Road, Kingston, beginning at 9 a.m.
International Women's Day has been observed since the early 1900s, during a time of expansion in the industrialised world which saw booming population growth and the increasing participation of women in the workforce.
Today, International Women's Day is an official holiday in Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. As part of this holiday, men honour their mothers, wives, girlfriends and female colleagues with flowers and small gifts. In fact, in some countries, International Women's Day has the equivalent status of Mother's Day, when children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.
