The level of involvement of the populace in matters of national importance is at an all-time high in at least the last decade. This participation has been accompanied by a renewed spate of activism and advocacy by Bahamians from all walks of life, across the archipelago. In the midst of this renaissance, it is important that we maintain our civil liberties, never lose respect for the fundamental rights of all persons and uphold the Christian values upon which our nation is built.
Of equal importance is the need to remain focused on the things that matter while avoiding distractions based on trivial matters. The popular saying that not all that can be counted counts and not all that counts can be counted is ever so true in this regard. The important topics of focus by interest groups in recent times have included the Freedom of Information Act, the environment, violence against women, fiscal prudence and equal economic opportunities for Bahamians, just to mention a few. While some of these matters require the government's attention and/or action, the question arises as to how much we can do to advance the public discourse and bring them closer to actualization. We focus this week on gender equality.
Should this be up for debate?
The circumstances surrounding the inclusion of provisions that discriminate against Bahamian women in our constitution are well documented. As a Bahamian woman reflecting on this in 2014, it is extremely difficult to understand or justify the reasoning for making us less equal to our male counterparts. It follows, therefore, that any argument against rectifying this disparity will be hard to articulate and will be almost impossible to compose without reference to practices that are contrary to social justice, equality, fairness and fundamental human rights.
The question then is what are we going to be debating or arguing about in relation to the proposed constitutional referendum to right this wrong and address an issue that is long overdue? Unfortunately, and as with any topic of national importance in The Bahamas, we shouldn't expect this to pass without some unnecessary or contentious points being inserted into the discussion; but then again that is the beauty of democracy.
History suggests that we should act
The only and last referendum held to address gender inequality in The Bahamas was held in 2002; five years after the Free National Movement (FNM) had promised during its 1997 election campaign to improve gender equality in The Bahamas. The results of the referendum held on February 27, 2002 showed that between 63 percent and 71 percent of Bahamians voted no to the five questions put to the populace. Specifically, 66 percent of voters voted against the removal of gender discrimination from our constitution.
The blame for the results and failure to achieve the objectives of the referendum has been ascribed to the role of the opposition at the time, the rushing of the referendum and linking the referendum to the general election. The government, including the official opposition, will do well to learn from that experience by keeping politics out of the debate, not holding the referendum late in the current term and providing ample time for preparation.
The constitutional referendum
The prime minister had stated last year that the government will be proposing amendments to the citizenship provisions of the constitution and an expansion of the definition of discrimination in article 26 of the constitution to remove the existing bias against women in the supreme law of our land. These comments came in the aftermath of the presentation of the Constitutional Commission following nine months of meetings and consultations across the archipelago. Hence, the question is not if, but when.
There is no doubt that the government has a lot on its plate and is challenged to find sufficient resources to address the myriad of issues the country is confronted with. While this is no justification for the inability to adhere to the timelines established to address this important matter to date, the populace should become more actively involved in ensuring that this dream becomes reality.
The various stakeholders in this regard must individually or in concert commence the awareness campaign ahead of the eventual conduct of the referendum. We cannot and should not wait for the government's education to start educating the public. In the same manner we stand together on other matters affecting women, this is a clarion call to unite in spreading the message against gender inequality to ensure that the actual referendum, whenever it is held, is nothing more than a formality. The government on its part should engage the various stakeholders, including civic groups, not-for-profit organizations and the media to assist with the education campaign as soon as possible.
The movement must continue
Based on the results of the 2002 referendum, it is apparent that some Bahamian women voted against amendments that would have given them as equal rights as those belonging to their male counterparts. This is difficult to comprehend but more importantly highlights the importance of raising awareness and keeping politics out of the debate this time around.
In conclusion, the journey to true gender equality in The Bahamas will not and must not end with favorable results of the upcoming constitutional referendum. Amendments to our constitution to make us equal "on paper" and by law to our male counterparts will not mark the end of the struggle for gender equality for Bahamian women; rather, it will be a good start for real equality in all spheres of our society, ranging from political representation to the corporate world.
An appreciation for our history and the socio-cultural factors that have influenced the current ideology on gender in The Bahamas is important if this movement is to survive and thrive. In this regard, the publication "Engendering the Bahamas: A Gendered Examination of Bahamian Nation Making or National Identity and Gender in the Bahamian Context" by Dr. Nicolette Bethel is instructive and a good read for Bahamians as a whole and Bahamian women in particular as we continue on this voyage.
o Arinthia S. Komolafe is an attorney-at-law. Comments on this article can be directed to a.s.komolafe510@gmail.com.

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