“And
by recognising that the human rights of women are inextricably bound
to the human rights of their children, whom they birth and nurture.”
Thompson-Ahye continued: “I can think of no better way to
direct attention to our nation’s obligations under our human
rights agenda than to sensitise the women who uniquely embody the
strong arm of the law, with the nurturing embrace of a mother.
“I speak here of our hard-working and sometimes little valued
and recognised women police of the TnT Police Service.
“We start with the women because it is said that if you want
something said, you ask a man, but if you want something done, you
ask a woman and we want something done.
“You have also heard that behind every successful man there
is a woman, but it has been said, too, that behind every successful
man there is a woman waiting to take his place.”
She added: “Mr. Commissioner of Police, be warned.”
Thompson-Ahye noted: “TnT has ratified the Convention on the
Rights of the Child (the CRC), the Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Inter-American
Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence
Against Women (the Convention of Belem do Para).
“Thus, our nation has shown its commitment to the human rights
of children and women, just as it pledged, as members of the United
Nations, to observe the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
the other international human rights treaties which speak to the
human rights of all men.
“Our nation, in ratifying the CRC, which has been hailed,
the ‘Bill of Rights for Children’, and the Women’s
human rights treaties of the UN, CEDAW and that of the OAS, Bolem
Do Para, has pledged to have all our laws, policies and programmes
fully comply with the letter and spirit of these Conventions.”
She continued: “The government, has, by ratification, also
undertaken the responsibility to make these Conventions widely known
to all members of the public, and especially to those persons who
must implement the laws, the policies, practices and programmes
in accordance with these Conventions.
“Law enforcement officers are key to the implementation of
laws and policies.
“Consequently, they, like other key personnel, such as judges,
magistrates, lawyers, social workers, teachers, parents, MPs, in
particular Government Ministers, and the media must be trained in
human rights.
“The lack of training of key personnel is a matter of concern
to the UN Committees to whom we must report periodically on our
progress in implementation.
“Much too often, we learn from the media of violations of
the human rights of children and women in our nation.
“In some instances, there are laws in place to protect their
human rights and these laws are broken with impunity.
“Some abuses are even perpetrated by the media, such as the
right to privacy of the child offender.”
Thompson-Ahye contended: “Even women of the Police Service,
who must protect and serve, are regarded as fair game and subjected
to violations of their right not to be discriminated against and
their right to work in an environment free of sexual harassment
and other forms of violence.” |
