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Rights, Justice, Action: How Policies Fuel Progress for International Women’s Day

Fri, Mar 6th 2026, 11:53 AM
Caribbean News

International Women’s Day urges us to embrace the powerful United Nations theme: “Rights, Justice, Action.”

Last week at the Women’s Empowerment Symposium hosted by the Ministry of Social Services, the Department of Gender and Family Affairs, and the National Women’s Advisory Council, Marion Bethel delivered a thoughtful presentation examining how The Bahamas measures up against the international and regional treaties it has signed to promote women’s rights and protect against violence and other forms of discrimination.

Marion Bethel has long been a leading voice for human rights in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean as an attorney and poet. At the symposium she offered a clear and insightful analysis of how global commitments can and should translate into meaningful progress for Bahamian women.

In her presentation, Marion situated her analysis within the legacy of the Women’s Suffrage Movement, led by Dame Doris Johnson decades ago. The movement began gaining momentum in 1959 and ultimately led to the first vote cast by a Bahamian female voter in 1962, by Ruby Cooper Darling, following the passage of legislation in 1961 granting women the right to vote in The Bahamas. We remain forever indebted to those women who, along with Dame Johnson, made this possible. Their courage helped to transform the political landscape of the country and ensured that Bahamian women would have a voice in shaping the nation’s future.

It is noteworthy that the suffrage movement crossed socioeconomic and racial lines and drew support from organizations including churches and lodges. While some of the women involved were highly educated and from the professional class, the vast majority were ordinary Bahamian women standing up for their rights. Their persistence reminds us that meaningful progress is often driven by everyday citizens who choose to act with conviction and purpose. I was too young to witness those moments firsthand, but I often wish we had a similarly galvanizing theme today. Perhaps this year’s UN theme provides just that opportunity.

We have come a long way, but there is still some distance to travel before we can declare victory here in The Bahamas.

Drawing from Marion’s paper, women’s access to justice in The Bahamas is grounded in strong international and regional human rights frameworks. However, meaningful equality requires translating these commitments into constitutional reform, legislative action, policy change, and sustained civic engagement. Bahamians—not just women—must be at the forefront of the remaining agenda. While every day offers an opportunity to advance these issues, the upcoming election provides a particularly important moment to challenge candidates on all sides to move this agenda forward. Bahamian women deserve nothing less.

Here is a snapshot of The Bahamas’ international and regional commitments to advancing women’s rights globally made over the years.

International and Regional Frameworks Global and regional instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women (Belém do Pará), the work of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women (SRVAW), the Beijing Platform for Action, and the Sustainable Development Goals collectively establish clear legal and moral obligations to protect women’s rights and ensure access to justice.

CEDAW and The Bahamas Despite ratification of CEDAW, constitutional and legislative gaps—particularly regarding sex discrimination and nationality—continue to limit full equality for women. For example, a Bahamian woman married to a non-Bahamian whose child is born abroad cannot automatically pass Bahamian citizenship to that child under the current constitution. This has real-life implications. My own daughter, born in the United States to a Jamaica/UK citizen, has no right to Bahamian citizenship under our current laws. She visits The Bahamas as a U.S. visitor and is limited to a maximum three-month stay at a time, with no automatic right to work or reside unless she applies separately for such status.

How unfair is this? It needs to change. Bahamian women should have equal rights, including the right to pass citizenship to children born outside the country regardless of the father’s nationality. This constitutional amendment should not become mired in political warfare.

SRVAW, MESECVI, and the Beijing Platform for Action Violence against women is recognized internationally as a human rights violation requiring urgent legal reform, enforcement, and survivor-centered access to justice. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women (SRVAW) monitors and reports globally on the causes and consequences of violence against women, while the Follow-up Mechanism to the Belém do Pará Convention (MESECVI) evaluates how countries in the Americas are implementing their commitments to prevent, punish, and eradicate violence against women.

In The Bahamas there is still ongoing debate about revising criminal provisions to prohibit marital rape, clearly define sexual assault, and ensure that women are adequately protected by the police and justice system.

Advancing rights through policy means creating laws that protect against discrimination and guarantee equal opportunity. Anti-discrimination statutes, equal pay provisions, and legislation supporting parental leave and childcare help empower women and ensure their voices are heard. Justice is further strengthened by policies that prosecute gender-based violence, provide support to survivors, and promote fair representation in leadership roles. Marion and other legal scholars have engaged successive governments on many of these issues. The time for action is now.

Call to Action Progress depends not only on government but also on the collective responsibility of women—and indeed all citizens—to actively demand equality and justice. If you are wondering how you can help, start conversations at home, at work, in church, or in your sports club or gym. Learn about these issues and advocate for your female colleagues. Support their contributions in meetings, organize women’s brown-bag discussions in the workplace, and teach our children not to treat girls differently from boys. (My brother, for example, also had to wash dishes.) Discuss how diversity strengthens our society and enriches our communities.

Ultimately, action becomes possible when policies drive meaningful investment in education, health, and economic empowerment for women and girls. By ensuring access to resources, supporting mentorship programs, and dismantling barriers to participation, policy can catalyze transformative change. Each new policy—from funding women-led businesses to advancing gender parity in leadership—is another step toward dismantling systemic inequities.

On International Women’s Day, let us remember that policies are not merely paperwork; they are instruments of change. By advocating for, drafting, and implementing policies with purpose, we can advance rights, secure justice, and inspire action for women throughout this archipelago. The path to equality is built through deliberate decisions, and it is up to all of us to help pave the way.

Wishing my female family members, colleagues, and friends a thoughtful and reflective International Women’s Day. Let us continue advancing the work of Dame Doris Johnson and all the women whose courage and leadership have brought us to where we are today.

Therese Turner-Jones Economist, ORG Bahamas Board Member and Principal Consultant, MaxGwen Ltd., March 5, 2026

Special thanks to Marion Bethel for her extensive documentary work on the historical and legal foundations of women’s rights and for her outstanding representation of The Bahamas internationally. From 2017 to 2024 she served two terms on the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), where she was elected Vice-Chairperson. In 2025 she was elected as a Commissioner of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), marking a historic first for The Bahamas. We are grateful for her continued leadership and for the work of those in our public institutions who continue to promote equality, safety, and justice for women in The Bahamas.

International Women’s Day urges us to embrace the powerful United Nations theme: “Rights, Justice, Action.”
Last week at the Women’s Empowerment Symposium hosted by the Ministry of Social Services, the Department of Gender and Family Affairs, and the National Women’s Advisory Council, Marion Bethel delivered a thoughtful presentation examining how The Bahamas measures up against the international and regional treaties it has signed to promote women’s rights and protect against violence and other forms of discrimination.
Marion Bethel has long been a leading voice for human rights in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean as an attorney and poet. At the symposium she offered a clear and insightful analysis of how global commitments can and should translate into meaningful progress for Bahamian women.
In her presentation, Marion situated her analysis within the legacy of the Women’s Suffrage Movement, led by Dame Doris Johnson decades ago. The movement began gaining momentum in 1959 and ultimately led to the first vote cast by a Bahamian female voter in 1962, by Ruby Cooper Darling, following the passage of legislation in 1961 granting women the right to vote in The Bahamas. We remain forever indebted to those women who, along with Dame Johnson, made this possible. Their courage helped to transform the political landscape of the country and ensured that Bahamian women would have a voice in shaping the nation’s future.
It is noteworthy that the suffrage movement crossed socioeconomic and racial lines and drew support from organizations including churches and lodges. While some of the women involved were highly educated and from the professional class, the vast majority were ordinary Bahamian women standing up for their rights. Their persistence reminds us that meaningful progress is often driven by everyday citizens who choose to act with conviction and purpose. I was too young to witness those moments firsthand, but I often wish we had a similarly galvanizing theme today. Perhaps this year’s UN theme provides just that opportunity.
We have come a long way, but there is still some distance to travel before we can declare victory here in The Bahamas.
Drawing from Marion’s paper, women’s access to justice in The Bahamas is grounded in strong international and regional human rights frameworks. However, meaningful equality requires translating these commitments into constitutional reform, legislative action, policy change, and sustained civic engagement. Bahamians—not just women—must be at the forefront of the
remaining agenda. While every day offers an opportunity to advance these issues, the upcoming election provides a particularly important moment to challenge candidates on all sides to move this agenda forward. Bahamian women deserve nothing less.
Here is a snapshot of The Bahamas’ international and regional commitments to advancing women’s rights globally made over the years.
International and Regional Frameworks Global and regional instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women (Belém do Pará), the work of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women (SRVAW), the Beijing Platform for Action, and the Sustainable Development Goals collectively establish clear legal and moral obligations to protect women’s rights and ensure access to justice.
CEDAW and The Bahamas Despite ratification of CEDAW, constitutional and legislative gaps—particularly regarding sex discrimination and nationality—continue to limit full equality for women. For example, a Bahamian woman married to a non-Bahamian whose child is born abroad cannot automatically pass Bahamian citizenship to that child under the current constitution. This has real-life implications. My own daughter, born in the United States to a Jamaica/UK citizen, has no right to Bahamian citizenship under our current laws. She visits The Bahamas as a U.S. visitor and is limited to a maximum three-month stay at a time, with no automatic right to work or reside unless she applies separately for such status.
How unfair is this? It needs to change. Bahamian women should have equal rights, including the right to pass citizenship to children born outside the country regardless of the father’s nationality. This constitutional amendment should not become mired in political warfare.
SRVAW, MESECVI, and the Beijing Platform for Action Violence against women is recognized internationally as a human rights violation requiring urgent legal reform, enforcement, and survivor-centered access to justice. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women (SRVAW) monitors and reports globally on the causes and consequences of violence against women, while the Follow-up Mechanism to the Belém do Pará Convention (MESECVI) evaluates how countries in the Americas are implementing their commitments to prevent, punish, and eradicate violence against women.
In The Bahamas there is still ongoing debate about revising criminal provisions to prohibit marital rape, clearly define sexual assault, and ensure that women are adequately protected by the police and justice system.
Advancing rights through policy means creating laws that protect against discrimination and guarantee equal opportunity. Anti-discrimination statutes, equal pay provisions, and legislation supporting parental leave and childcare help empower women and ensure their voices are
heard. Justice is further strengthened by policies that prosecute gender-based violence, provide support to survivors, and promote fair representation in leadership roles. Marion and other legal scholars have engaged successive governments on many of these issues. The time for action is now.
Call to Action Progress depends not only on government but also on the collective responsibility of women—and indeed all citizens—to actively demand equality and justice. If you are wondering how you can help, start conversations at home, at work, in church, or in your sports club or gym. Learn about these issues and advocate for your female colleagues. Support their contributions in meetings, organize women’s brown-bag discussions in the workplace, and teach our children not to treat girls differently from boys. (My brother, for example, also had to wash dishes.) Discuss how diversity strengthens our society and enriches our communities.
Ultimately, action becomes possible when policies drive meaningful investment in education, health, and economic empowerment for women and girls. By ensuring access to resources, supporting mentorship programs, and dismantling barriers to participation, policy can catalyze transformative change. Each new policy—from funding women-led businesses to advancing gender parity in leadership—is another step toward dismantling systemic inequities.
On International Women’s Day, let us remember that policies are not merely paperwork; they are instruments of change. By advocating for, drafting, and implementing policies with purpose, we can advance rights, secure justice, and inspire action for women throughout this archipelago. The path to equality is built through deliberate decisions, and it is up to all of us to help pave the way.
Wishing my female family members, colleagues, and friends a thoughtful and reflective International Women’s Day. Let us continue advancing the work of Dame Doris Johnson and all the women whose courage and leadership have brought us to where we are today.
Therese Turner-Jones Economist, ORG Bahamas Board Member and Principal Consultant, MaxGwen Ltd., March 5, 2026
Special thanks to Marion Bethel for her extensive documentary work on the historical and legal foundations of women’s rights and for her outstanding representation of The Bahamas internationally. From 2017 to 2024 she served two terms on the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), where she was elected Vice-Chairperson. In 2025 she was elected as a Commissioner of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), marking a historic first for The Bahamas. We are grateful for her continued leadership and for the work of those in our public institutions who continue to promote equality, safety, and justice for women in The Bahamas.
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