Golding, Llewellyn and McKenzie

As the world observes International Women's Day, Prime Minister Bruce Golding has called for the support and protection of women and charged Jamaican men to step forward and shoulder more of the responsibilities within the home and communities.

Golding said Jamaican women must be saluted and regarded with a sense of pride as they play a vital role in our society.

"The women of Jamaica have been called upon to bear an unfair share of the burden in cradling our society, raising our children and providing for our families. They have borne that burden with remarkable strength and resilience and we owe them a mighty debt of gratitude," said Golding.

He added: "The crisis we face in the behaviour of our young men who dominate the incidence of crime and violence, and the disproportionate underperformance of the boys in our schools, point to the absence of male parenting and mentoring in our homes. Our women cannot do it alone. They cannot be left to do it alone."

Pivotal positions

Prime Minister Golding congratulated the achievements of two Jamaican women, who have been appointed to assume the pivotal positions of Director of Public Prosecutions, Paula Llewellyn, and Auditor General, Pamela Munroe-Ellis.

"They achieved their appointments not because they are women, but because of their proven competence and we salute them," the prime minister said.

Hermione McKenzie, president of the Association of Women's Organisations in Jamaica, said it is a day when women globally, pause and evaluate the position of females in the society.

The observance of the day began 30 years ago in Jamaica, having started globally in 1909.