Reporter/photographer Chrys Hackshaw was on the Brian Lara Promenade last Wednesday when International Women's Day was celebrated in fine style with displays in various booths set up along the Brian Lara Promenade and with a festive parade.

Policewomen at International Women's Day celebrations

Protective Services made their presence felt providing information to visitors.

Other organisations such as the Free Woman Foundation, Women's Responsive Sou-Sou Bank and the Non-Traditional Women's Skills Training Programme prove that women are now forming their own organisations and networking to provide skills training and financial assistance to other women in need.

In his message for the day, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan wrote: “The theme of this year's International Women's Day -- the role of women in decision-making-- is central to the advancement of women around the world, and to the progress of humankind as a whole.

As the Beijing Declaration tells us, “women's empowerment and their full participation on the basis of equality in all spheres of society, including participation in the decision-making process and access to power, are fundamental for the achievement of equality, development and peace.”

Recently, Pope Benedict, meeting with the priests of the Diocese of Rome, discussed the role of women in the Church. He said the Church owed a great debt of thanks to women and expressed hope that women would be offered greater positions of responsibility.