Women’s Agenda and Family

The Women’s Agenda is an interesting paper seeking the empowerment of women from a financial standpoint for example making it accessible for women to acquire land and a house to their rightful place in leadership both in the public and private sectors. 

1. Why do you think women should be empowered financially? What do we mean by this? Is it that women in Belize do not get equal pay as men for doing the same job and having the same skills or education?
   
   
2. In Belize do we have a matriarchal society? Is it because of this why we need to ensure our women get equal pay for equal work?
   
   
3. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) is important for women in Belize as a nation who seeks to develop especially in a technological environment. In Belize culturally our girls are guided not to follow these fields of study they are led more to the humanities and or business fields.
   
   
4. Why do the women in our party believe that it is necessary to establish a quota system for women to be placed at the highest level of leadership and governance?
   
   
5. Violence against women is still rampant in our society. The abuse of women physically, economically, verbally and sexually is a daily occurrence in Belize. We have laws to address these issues…why is it that the women’s agenda stress on the enforcement of these laws.
   
   
6. Easier access to land and housing is an imperative for women in Belize in order for them to be able to survive and contribute to the growth and development of their children and family.

I believe we all agree that the Family is the most important institution in a society. If Belize is to develop as a strong and robust nation we need to ensure our families are the center piece of this effort. 

1. “As the family goes…so goes the nation” I believe this is an adage that proves so true in the Belizean context. We are all aware of the erosion of our families, for varied reasons, in our communities. Many studies have indicated that if the family structure is weak the social fabric is also disintegrated. Our values are broken and our children and youth go about rudderless.
   
   
2. The building of strong and united families to shape our neighborhoods, villages, towns and cities. Ultimately a strong nation that is united will be economically and socially resilient. That is why our policies are people and family centered to ensure our families are taken care off and can become productive actors in our country.
   
   
3. I have heard from people in general and some professionals that parenting skills are severely lacking on our homes. How do you think we can assist with this issue? How can we help families acquire parenting skills to deal with these types of issues.
   
   
4. This may sound like an education issue but I was informed that the Education Ministry does not pay for full time Counselors. This is unfortunate indeed as we are aware that full time counselors are greatly needed in all schools to help with assisting students to learn how to cope with family issues. I will certainly have a discussion with my Education Minister to find a way how we can make this work.
   
   
5. The PUP Bill of Rights, which addresses the accessibility of basics to all Belizeans, is focused to make our families resilient and productive. Health, Education, Land, Housing and jobs are those rights that we are committing to provide to families for them to be able to prosper in safe and peaceful community.