Dear Editor,
For most men International Women’s Day on March 8, might have easily passed by without much notice and may indeed have been just another day in the hustle and bustle of life. But to half of the world’s population – women − this day represented a long and continuing struggle towards the goal of achieving gender equality.
The Caribbean Male Action Network acknowledges that despite the gains made over the years by many individuals, men and women alike, and organizations, we are reminded by the words of UNFPA’s Executive Director that “gender-based violence remains a major health and human rights concern and no human development can be achieved as long as women and girls continue to suffer from violence or live in fear of it.”
So on International Women’s Day, CariMAN − an organization of Carib-bean men, brothers, husbands, sons and fathers − took a stand with Caribbean women, girls, mothers, sisters, daughters and friends to do everything we can to prevent and stop violence against women and girls.
We further encourage and call on all men and boys to join our Champions for Change campaign (www.cariman.org), and to do everything they can to ensure all relationships are free from violence and abuse.
Notwithstanding the challenge of this task, CariMAN takes this opportunity to call on all the governments of the Caribbean to take concrete action towards improving women’s access to sexual and reproductive health services as well as respecting the rights of women to safely control their reproductive lives.
CariMAN further urges our governments to protect women from the unequal treatment they receive in the economies of the Caribbean. CariMAN strongly believes that a just economic environment can have a major positive impact in the domestic lives of women and girls as well. CariMAN remains committed to working in partnership with men, women and all groups who share a deep concern for ensuring the full recognition of women’s rights in the region.
Yours faithfully,
Abbas Mancey
Communications Officer
Caribbean Male Action Network
