The Royal Bahamas Defence Force held a Female Symposium for women within the service from March 25th to 27th at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium. The event, themed “The Role of Women in the Military,” aimed to empower women in the organization, focusing on work-life balance and addressing challenges they encounter.
Minister of National Security, Honourable Wayne Munroe, K.C., MP praised the organizers for their efforts and highlighted the organization’s mandates, including defending the country, protecting territorial waters, and disaster response.
Commodore Raymond King emphasized using the event to inspire and reinvigorate women within the organization, urging them to take ownership of their empowerment and strive for greater success.
The symposium featured speakers discussing the education, equipping, and embracing of women’s roles in the Defence force. Other attendees included Captains Natasha Miller and Sonia Miller, Defence Force Chaplain Raymond Wells and Mrs Olivia Wells, and Retired Force Chief Petty Officer Fredricka King. The Symposium covered a diverse range of topics, some including Fitness, Health & Nutrition, Welfare, Women Empowerment, Transformation Leadership/Spiritual Wellness, Financial Management & Budgeting and Entrepreneurship & Networking.
This symposium fully embraces the principles outlined in the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, aligning seamlessly with the Commander Defence Force’s emphasis on advancing women’s involvement in peacebuilding. This includes protecting women and girls from violence, integrating them into conflict prevention efforts, ensuring their access to relief and recovery, and advocating for human rights and the equal application of the law. Moreover, it emphasizes the integration of gender perspectives into all aspects of peace and security initiatives.
This commitment is reflected in our Gender Optimization Policy, a key priority of the Commander’s office, which strives to ensure equal opportunities for all in terms of administration, training, promotions, and various career paths.
Furthermore, we wholeheartedly embrace the principles of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. This aligns perfectly with the Commander’s focus on promoting women’s participation in peacebuilding, protecting women and girls from violence, including them in conflict prevention efforts, ensuring their access to relief and recovery, and advocating for human rights, equal application of the law, and the integration of gender perspectives in all peace and security endeavors.
