The Tribune

Women from the Centreville community were given more than a platform to speak when the Ministry of Urban Renewal and Community Relations hosted its inaugural “Women Have a Voice Too!” Symposium.

They were given direct access to professionals, information and pathways to assistance designed to help them improve their lives and the lives of their families.

Under the leadership of Minister of Urban Renewal and Community Relations Lisa  Rahming, the packed symposium at St George’s Anglican Church was structured as an interactive workshop and sounding board where women could speak openly, ask questions and engage professionals in areas including domestic violence, mental health, social services, counselling and crisis intervention.

The inaugural symposium was held in honour of Mrs Ann Marie Davis, Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister, and was powered by the Ministry’s Community Relations Unit and Centreville Urban Renewal Centre.

Members of the Community Relations Unit went door-to-door throughout Centreville ahead of the event to  personally invite women and help to ensure that residents of the community itself were strongly represented. Men also attended and participated in the evening’s discussions.

For Minister Rahming, the initiative reflects a deeply personal belief that women must not only be heard, they must also be given the knowledge, support and connections that can help them move forward.

She spoke candidly about experiencing trauma and disappointment as a child, as she told participants that difficult circumstances could have convinced her that her future would be limited. Instead, she leaned on her faith and on strong women who recognised her potential, encouraged her and refused to allow her past to determine her future.

Those experiences, she said, eventually led to a promise she made to God.

“If He helped me grow and rise, I would not do it alone. I would bring a sister or two along with me.”

That philosophy was reflected in the structure of “Women Have a Voice Too!” Minister Rahming said helping a woman through an immediate difficulty is important, but empowerment must go further.

She said that women need to help other women “learn how to fish” by sharing knowledge, opening doors, building confidence and helping them develop the skills and connections needed to create opportunities for themselves.

Minister Rahming said women are often among those who understand their neighbourhoods best — seeing both the needs and potential solutions.

“When we listen to women and support their ability to act on their ideas, we strengthen the whole community.”

Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources and Member of Parliament for Centreville, Jomo Campbell, also reflected on the influence women’s voices have traditionally had within Bahamian families.

He recalled that as children grew, it was often a woman’s voice that corrected them, encouraged them and reminded them of who they could become. He challenged participants to consider whether society had become too comfortable deciding when those same voices should be heard.

Campbell said the name “Women Have a Voice Too!” carries a responsibility for everyone who hears those voices, posing a compelling question: When a woman speaks, what are we prepared to do with what she says?

During the symposium, women were able to engage directly with professionals and learn more about the channels through which they could seek assistance for themselves and their families.

Presenters included Julia Meadows, Chief Social Worker at the Ministry of Social Services; Assistant Superintendent Kendra Wallace-Whyms, Director of the Domestic Violence Unit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force; Dr Sandra Dean-Patterson, Founder of The Bahamas Crisis Center; and Rev Angela Palacious of Anglican Diocese Pastoral Care. Dr Wendy Fernander, a licensed clinical psychologist with The Bahamas Institute for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, delivered the keynote address. Urban Renewal Co-Chair Rt. Hon. Algernon S. P. B. Allen, KC delivered welcome remarks, while Co-Chair Rev. Dr. Dianna E. Francis, MBE offered the opening prayer. The programme was moderated by Joan Baillou-Ferguson, Manager of the Centreville Urban Renewal Center.

Also attending were Senator Keno Wong and Superintendent Darvy Pratt, Officer in Charge of Urban Renewal Police.

The evening culminated with certificate presentations to participating women, but the certificates represented more than attendance at another community event. They marked an important step taken by women who had chosen to show up, engage, ask questions, seek information and connect with professionals and resources that could assist them in improving their own lives and the lives of their families.

The event also reinforced that “Women Have a Voice Too!” was more than a ceremony. It provided a space where women could be heard, use professionals as a sounding board, learn where assistance is available and leave better equipped to take their next steps.

Minister Rahming encouraged participants to continue using their voices, sharing their experiences and supporting other women who may need someone to recognise their potential and encourage them to keep moving forward.

Her closing message captured the purpose of the initiative:

“Your voice matters, your future holds possibility, and you do not have to walk toward it alone.