Champion of women’s rights

Dame Maizie Barker-Welch was a champion of women’s rights.

Her innate gifts of empathy, intelligence, and creativity, coupled with hard work and determination helped her to lay the foundation for women in Barbados and across the globe to be independent, self-sufficient, afford them equal rights and protect them from violence.

She fervently advocated for women’s causes and took several leadership roles in this regard including head of the National Organisation of Women or NOW. She was the Barbados representative at the first UN Conference for Women on Population Development, which started the global conversation on advancing women and gender quality, and she was also Barbados’ principal delegate for the Inter American Commission of Women or CIM.

As a politician she served her constituents well in and out of Parliament, notably as the representative for the parish of St Joseph, she was also a senator and a parliamentary secretary under a Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration.

Dame Maizie will also be remembered for her sartorial splendour. She was always well-outfitted, her hair beautifully coifed and a unique hat perched on her head. She had impeccable manners, and she will forever be remembered as the epitome of class and poise.

Her contribution to this country is immeasurable.

May she rest in peace and rise in glory.

(Barbados Association of Retired Persons)