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Contact:
Claudia Monlouis
Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - Monday, March 17, 2003 - The Ministry for Home
Affairs and Gender Relations convened an International Women’s Day forum last
Friday, for a wide cross section of women at all levels in society. The Forum
was dubbed: “Women Facing the Challenges of a Changing Society – Women
Reclaiming Their Spirituality.”
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Gender Relations, Marcia
Philbert Jules, says women need to be encouraged to develop a sense of
spirituality so that they can better contribute to the development of a more
wholesome and peaceful society. The Permanent Secretary declared that women must
reclaim their spirituality despite the many challenges they may face and allow
God into their lives.
“This focus at this time is very deliberate. We live in very challenging times,
so much is changing and so fast,” said Philbert Jules to the many women present.
“As you link your will with the higher will, you will gain more awareness of the
path of humanity’s evolution and your part in it,” she added.
Meantime, Minster for Gender Relations, Honourable Sarah Flood-Beaubrun,
continued to attack the existence of strip clubs on the island. She told the
gathering of women that it is well known that those establishments are nothing
more than brothels, which is illegal, under the Criminal Code of St.Lucia.
“This is about morality, but not just about this. What about the scientific
proven link between these activities and other form of sexual deviance, which
eventually lead to cases like Gesel’s and Tricia’s and Verlinda’s deaths, and
all the other cases of child abuse. And what about the numerous human rights
violations of the women who are trafficked to prostitute and strip so that men
can make money off them.”
The Minister reiterated her call for the Office of the Attorney General and the
Police to take action against those illicit activities.
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