Gender Equality

Posted by Tonia Ferguson/Jody C. Wells 
 
“All men are created equal but some are more equal than others . . .” George Orwell
 
Do these words by George Orwell still prevail in the thoughts of people in the 21st century?  This past Thursday, Marion Bethel, a member of the Coalition of Women’s Rights addressed the Gender Equality debate with the members and guests of the Rotary Club of Nassau Sunrise.  She sought to encourage the group to educate themselves about the issues.  She noted two important principles of equality:  equality between women and men and nondiscrimination on the basis of sex. According to Mrs. Bethel, these principles are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and many constitutions in the Commonwealth are based on the Universal Declaration.  Four bills that are being addressed and cause for heated debate are
  • transferring citizenship to a child born outside of The Bahamas to a Bahamian woman married to a foreign man
  • a Bahamian woman giving citizenship to her foreign husband
  • an unmarried Bahamian man transferring citizenship to his child
  • ending discrimination on the basis of sex
Mrs. Bethel also informed the Rotarians that the Bahamas has signed onto a number of treaties indicating that we are obligated to now implement law that complies with the treaties.  These laws support gender equality and seek to end discrimination.  Sharing her opinion, Mrs. Bethel stated that it is “socially imperative to support these reforms in the law.”