Nassau, The Bahamas -- Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) are joining together under the theme, "Women: the Voice, the Vote, the Victory" to discuss issues related to the role of women in politics and politic institutions, as well as the broad spectrum of women's rights and gender equality.

"For all its literary panache, our theme for this meeting glosses over a very painful truth: Women in many parts of the world, and in our region, have had to fight and are still fighting for each of these things - a voice, a vote, and we are still very far from a victory of any sorts," said Minister Maynard Gibson.

"Just 50 years ago, Georgiana Symonette, Mary Ingraham, Eugenia Lockhart, Dame Bertha Isaacs and Doris Johnson and hundreds of other courageous women and men defied ruling class and race systems and eventually achieved the right of women to vote, which, in The Bahamas, was exercised for the first time on November 26, 1962."

In addition, Minister Maynard-Gibson said this struggle of women continues in different forms, as women in The Bahamas are part of a movement to change provisions of the Bahamian Constitution that were cast in an historically patriarchal mould, and which discriminate against women in their ability to transmit their citizenship to their children and spouses.

Mrs. Maynard Gibson also said that following the recommendations of a recent Constitutional Review Commission, Bahamians are in the preliminary stages of organising a Constitutional referendum to address citizenship and gender equality, which may take place before the end of the year to correct these inequities in the Constitution. "Thankfully, we have the full support of the Government, and as presently advised, the Opposition, in the initiatives to amend the Constitution, but the threshold requirement of a public referendum as a legal pre-requisite for those amendments means that we have to be ever vigilant to influence public opinion and educate persons about women’s rights and gender equality," said the Attorney General.

"As we sit here, hundreds of our daughters in Nigeria, a Commonwealth country, have been kidnapped and the threat has been made that they will be sold, to prevent them from developing their voice."

AG Maynard-Gibson said women parliamentarians recognise that they are still a part of a small privileged minority in what has been, and will likely continue for many years to be, a male-dominated arena.

"I recently read with interest some statistics on one of the United Nation’s websites, which proudly reported that in 2012, the number of women members of parliament jumped to 20.14 per cent at the end of 2012 from 19.6 per cent at the beginning.

She said, however, that the gains of women cannot be measured by percentage points in terms of the number of women holding positions of power in the world’s parliaments and in political positions. The Attorney General emphasised that ascendancy of women in politics cannot be separated from issues relating to gender violence, socio-economic issues affecting women, and disparities and gender gaps which prevent women from realising their full potential and the societies from benefiting from the participation of women at all levels of leadership.

AG Maynard-Gibson added that many international human rights bodies have recognised that women’s rights are essentially human rights, and that gains made by women redound to the improvement of the society at large.

"For example, various United Nations agencies have in many publications drawn attention to the fact that discrimination and disempowerment of women has a negative impact on children, families and societal development," said AG Maynard Gibson.

"The negative effects of unequal treatment and unequal power of women takes on an even larger dimension in our regional context, in societies which although formally or legally ordained on patriarchal lines, are in reality headed by women. Thus, even our Constitutions in some instances define father to mean mother; and many of us are familiar with the social phenomena explored by noted sociologist Edith Clarke in her seminal work 'My mother who Fathered me'."

AG Maynard Gibson said that as we grapple with issues of governance and our core political duties, as Caribbean women parliamentarians we must remain committed to promoting not only formal gender equality, but the substantive rights of women in all spheres.

"And we have a lot to do and a long way to go. Hilary Clinton, a leading champion of women’s rights worldwide, in a recent speech to a UN conference marking International Women’s Day, described the struggle for gender equality as 'the great unfinished business of the 21st century'", said AG Maynard Gibson.

"I earlier remarked that as women we have had to fight for a voice and a right to be heard. We now have a platform and a voice—one with power and international span through the organisation of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and in particular the women’s branch of it—and we must use that voice responsibly and with courage of conviction if we are to benefit women of our region and women of the world. It is a duty we owe to ourselves as women but to society (including future generations) of 53 Commonwealth countries and the world."

AG Maynard Gibson also welcomed the delegates to enjoy the Bahamas as well as the meetings.

"It is an honour and privilege to welcome you, our visiting parliamentary colleagues and delegates from the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region, and specially invited guests assembled here this morning, for the opening of this Special Call Meeting of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians being convened in Nassau, Bahamas," said AG Maynard-Gibson.

"It is my hope that, in addition to participating in official conference duties, you will also have an opportunity to experience the legendary warmth and hospitality of the Bahamian people and to be exposed to some of the natural beauty and attractions of these islands."

In attendance were the Hon. Glenys Hanna Martin, Chair of The Bahamas Branch of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarian Association (CWPA), the Rt. Hon. Rebecca A. Kadaga MP, Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, Hon. Speakers and representatives from the Caribbean, Atlantic and Americas Region, Ministers of Government, fellow parliamentarians, and delegates.