Only 17 of the 149 countries have women as Heads of State, says Minister Wendy Phipps of SKN

Hon Wendy Colleen Phipps Minister of State with Responsibility for Health, Social Services, Community Development & Gender Affairs St Kitts and Nevis addressed the inhabitants with an encouraging speech on women's day.

Hon Phipps stated that on now, the women of the entire world are standing together in unity to assess the gains that the world has made in the area of gender equality. She added that now women are an advocate for the closure of the gaps wherever they are falling short of being able to assume their rightful place in all aspects of human endeavour.

Furthermore, she shredded some light on statistics and added that even in the 21st century, only 17 of the 149 countries have women as Heads of State. Additionally, only 18% of ministers and 24% of parliamentarians globally are women besides this, there are still some 44 countries in the world where over 20% of the women can neither read nor write.

Minister Phips congratulated Mrs Giselle Brisbane-Matthews of Harper’s Office Depot on her recent election and stated that first time in its almost 71-year history, the St. Kitts-Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce finally elected a female President.

"There is still a lot of ground yet to be covered, and many trails yet to be blazed. One area in particular which requires attention is "The Girl Child", I say this because of the well-needed shift in the way some of us continue to raise and socialize girl children." added Minister Wendy Colleen Phipps.

Furthermore, she stated that St. Kitts and Nevis is privileged to be in a position of not having to contend with some of the barbaric practices to which young girls continue to be subjected in certain parts of the world. These practices are tantamount to an infringement of the human rights of these young girls and include injustices such as child marriages, female genital mutilation, and denial of primary education.