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Plans> The Status of Women in the British Virgin Islands |
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The Status of
Women
July 1994 In Consultation With The National Preparatory
Committee And The Women's Desk, This Report examines the status of women in the British Virgin Islands by comparing their situation before and after the 1985 Nairobi Conference and the drafting of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Research has been based on the eight critical areas of concern outlined by the United Nations Commission of the Status of Women. Information for the report has been obtained from the 1981 census report, 1991 census statistics which other reporters have been able to access from the statistics department, national consultations, documents in the field and interviews. The 1991 population figures report 7,850 females and 8,258 males in the British Virgin Islands and they inhabit 15 of the 40 islands which make up the territory. Although women, who make up about 49% of the population, have run for political office since 1972, none has ever been elected. A Women's Desk was established in 1992 and, in spite of the constraints posed by inadequate staffing it has made a significant positive impact on the lives of women in the British Virgin Islands. There is need for more institutional support to facilitate outreach work to all the islands. An awareness of the need for legal reform has resulted in the establishment by Chief Minister Lavity Stoutt of a law reform committee in December 1993. Poverty in the British Virgin Islands is mainly associated with the female immigrant population. Related factors are low wages, inadequate day care and public housing facilities and discrimination in the work place. Verbal official reports indicate no inequality in access to personal loans, although some women claim that they were denied business loans because they were not accompanied by a man. There is equal access to education at all levels, but although more women graduate from secondary school and apply for tertiary education, there are more male applicants and graduates with technical degrees. Breast and cervical cancer, fibroids and spontaneous abortions have been areas of concern. Health services are generally available but women are calling for more preventive measures. The labour Ordinance ensures equality of employment but women are over-represented in the non-administrative positions while men generally occupy the managerial and administrative posts. The Women's Desk, the catalyst for dealing with violence against women, has intervened at the preventive educational level. A crisis centre is to be establish by a community service organization, and laws which currently help to perpetuate violence are under review. Women in the territory feel that they do not generally get a positive reception or response when they voice their concerns and this acts as a silencer. There is, however, a growing awareness of the issues and a recognition at some governmental and societal levels of the need to effect changes as the issues are not just women's issues but factors which influence the lives of all the people of the British Virgin Islands. |
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Webmaster: Jerinice Stoutt
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