#BTColumn – Choosing to Challenge

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados TODAY. 

by Donna Every

This week we celebrated International Women’s Day with its theme “Choose to Challenge”. The Barbados chapter of the International Women’s Forum (IWF) shared a video on our social media platforms in which we highlighted the female frontline workers in Barbados.

Those featured included doctors, nurses, engineers, cashiers, vets, teachers, bank staff, policewomen and others. I was especially pleased to hear the young doctors sharing how they choose to challenge the status quo of being women in a male dominated field.

This theme of Choose to Challenge is so far reaching that we must ensure that it goes beyond International Women’s Day and that we build it into our lives.

In many cases the issues we are still challenging in 2021 are of those of gender inequality, namely the under-representation of women on boards, inequitable distribution of funding and opportunities for women in business, unequal pay and so many others. These are all very important and must continue to be challenged until we see change.

However, there are other concerns that we must challenge that are urgent and important so me must ensure that our voices are heard, and that appropriate action is taken. One of those areas is violence
against women.

During this pandemic domestic violence has increased by as much as 45 per cent in some countries and that figure is probably based only on reported cases. This was one of the issues addressed by Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, in her brilliant article for IWD which she entitled ‘“Ah so de ting set”: Why I Choose to Challenge.’

Mrs. Coke-Hamilton explained that the Jamaican colloquial expression “Ah so de ting set” means “that’s just how it is” and she referred to incidences that she had heard about as a child in which highly respected men were known to be perpetrators of domestic violence against their wives or partners but no-one intervened.

In other words, it was the accepted and unchallenged norm. Many years later, women are still living in constant fear because of physical abuse in their own homes and some have tragically lost their lives. It can no longer be a case of “ah so de ting set.”

Another trend we are seeing is that more women globally have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic than men.

Then there are those who have had to leave the workforce because of the challenges of balancing their jobs, not being able to afford childcare and having their children at home for online school.

I personally know one young lady who has three children at home doing school online and she has not been able to work on her own home business since her time is taken up with helping the younger ones especially.

While these issues have been exacerbated by the pandemic, gender inequity in all its forms, has existed for many years and it is time for change.

As we prepare to roll out our findings about the diversity of women on boards, we will see that in Barbados as in most parts of the world, women are under-represented in this area as well.

Women are very interested in sitting on boards to bring their knowledge, experience and intuition to organisations, however in some cases they are challenged by their responsibilities at home.

I find it interesting that men do not seem to have this challenge. If they want to advance their career or serve
on boards, they go ahead and do so with the understanding that their wives will look after the children and household chores.

I always praise my husband for doing his fair share of the child-minding, particularly when I was in the corporate world and had after-hours events.

He continued to be supportive when I started my own business and travelled to other countries for speaking engagements or to hold training workshops as well.
I therefore advise younger women to choose their partners carefully.

Women also need to insist on changes in the workplace so that they won’t be forced into the position where they have to choose between career and children.

One of the ladies in our Chapter put this beautifully and has given me permission to share her IWD commitment to challenge. She said, “I choose to challenge workplace habits and customs which disadvantage working mothers.”

Her challenges to those in positions of influence are these:

“Stop scheduling “after-hours” meetings;

Don’t expect weekend travel days to be included in work trips;

Don’t ask women if they are planning a family or planning to have more children;

Don’t assume a woman is less committed to the organisation if she won’t “work late”;

Forget work dinners – work lunches are good enough!”

For those men (and even women) in positions of influence we look forward to seeing if you will choose to accept those challenges.

Donna Every is an author, trainer and international speaker. She is also a member of the board of the Barbados Chapter of the International Women’s Forum. Contact her at donna@donnaevery.com