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WLI, IFBPW champions of women and children

Published:Sunday | March 6, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Marcia Erskine (third left), chair of the Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI), presents Jill Worobec (second left), visiting regional coordinator of the International Federation of Business & Professional Women (IFBPW) with a gift during a courtesy call paid by the BPW on the WLI on Friday, February 25. They are flanked by BPW St Andrew President Lilieth Nelson (left) and WLI members (from third right) Fay Petgrave, Winsome Wilkins and Michelle Wilson-Reynolds. - Contributed

Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI) Chairman Marcia Erskine and Jill Worobec, regional coordinator of the International Federation of Business & Professional Women (IFBPW), and members of their respective organisations have committed their collective voices as champions of women and children in Jamaica and worldwide.

Worobec and a team from the Business & Professional Women's Clubs of St Andrew and Kingston visited Erskine and WLI 'sisters' on Friday, February 25.

Preventing abuse

Erskine shared with the group WLI initiatives on behalf of women and children, including a child sexual abuse prevention programme implemented last year which trained representatives from 20 local organisations in identifying and acting on incidences of child sexual abuse.

She also updated the group on progress at the WLI's main project - the Voluntary Organisation for the Upliftment of Children (VOUCH) where the WLI has been working with the VOUCH board and personnel at the Sylvia Foote Basic School to develop a model early-childhood institution. The Mary Issa Clinic, also situated at VOUCH, has also benefited from considerable WLI funding, both in the provision of health services to residents of the surrounding downtown Kingston communities, and the renovation and upgrading of clinic facilities.

Worobec said that the BPW, with affiliates in 80 countries in five continents, is one of the world's most influential international networks of business and professional women.

The BPW has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and participatory status with the Council of Europe and has lobbied for the formation of the commission on the status of women and other major women's issues.

The BPW is currently lobbying for equal participation of women and men in power and decision-making roles.

WLI and BPW found commonality in their respective programmes of mentoring and providing network and development opportunities for women.