This year saw a flurry of activities for International Women's Day on Tuesday, March 8. Among them was the exhibition on the Brian Lara Promenade, Port of Spain , put on by the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs.

Starting from in front the Salvatori building, the 78 exhibition booths stretched to opposite the sleek Nicholas Towers. The human traffic was unbelievable. Walking through the thick crowd and trying to get to any particular booth wasn't always easy.

The booths were run by various NGOs, relevant departments of Government Ministries. The NGOs included those specifically for women; the Girl Guides Association, Federation of Women's Institute, Women in Transformation, Women Working for Social Progress (Working Women), the African Women's Association, among others.

There were also organisations dedicated to education, personal and community improvement such as the St Jude's School for Girls, Laventille Drug Abuse Reduction Committee, the Cocorite Relief Centre, the Non-Traditional Skills Training Programme, the Child Welfare League and the T&T Innovative Parenting Support.

The Government's booths were on the topics of HIV/AIDS, Community Skills Bank, National Gender Policy, Our Women In Culture, Vision 2020 and the Community Development Fund.

The “Our Women in Culture” booth was particularly well constructed. A collaboration between the Ministry of Culture and the National Museum, it featured over thirty of our prominent women among them Parang Singer Daisy Voisin, mas' designer Lil Hart, Chutney singer Drupatee Ramgoonai, and artist Sybil Atteck.

St Jude's School for Girls - one of the booths on the promenade. Kelene Blake photos

Government Ministries with booths were the Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education, Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, Ministry of Legal Affairs, Gender Affairs Division.

Even the women in uniform were there. Booths represented the women of the Coast Guard, the Police Service and the Defence Force.

Of course there was a lot of shopping to be done as well as several handicraft, culinary and beauty products on display. There were a couple booths giving manicures, pedicures and facials. African clothes and craft were on sale as well as beaded jewellery.

The Cancer Society was present with a lot of information for interested onlookers as was the Aster Foundation. I caught a glimpse of ASPIRE, CAFRA (Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action) and the Family Planning Association.

I was a bit disappointed that there were no Pro-Choice booths or information about services like those given to pregnant girls and women at the Mary Care Centre.

I saw nothing about Natural Family Planning or about socially displaced women and girls or the need for more places like Credo's Sophia House. It was an excellent forum to communicate these values and ideas to the general female public.

In his message on the occasion of International Women's Day, Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary General said, “the challenges facing women are not problems without solutions”. Events like the exhibition on Tuesday help to highlight the solutions, but they should present all the solutions and not just one perspective.

Uniformed, disciplined police women.

In the early afternoon a parade that had been making its way through Port of Spain reached the Promenade and marched around it.

The parade was led by a group of Dames Lorraines with their brightly coloured dresses, umbrellas and their exaggerated figures.

They were followed by an impressive squad of female police officers accompanied by members of the police band. The two leading groups presented a stark contrast to each other; the colourful, rambunctious Dames Lorraines versus the uniformed, disciplined police women.

The rest of the parade was made up of several different women's groups in coloured jerseys with their various chants, banners and placards.

In the evening, the after-work crowd was treated to entertainment. The skit put on by “ Roy ” and “Gloria” from the television series, Around Again , proved a hit with the laughing onlookers.

Several prominent women, including Senator Joan Yuille-Williams, Minister of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs, addressed the crowd.

It is good to see the Government taking an active role in educating and highlighting what is available to women in T&T. Now what is required is action, with the benefits of that action reaching all who need it. This action is not only in the Government's hands. We citizens have to actively seek the improvement and empowerment of our own people.

These ideals are also reflected in the UN message: “If we are to change the historical legacy that puts women at a disadvantage in most societies, we must implement what we have learnt on a larger scale. We must take specific, targetted action in a number of areas.”

The colourful, rambunctious Dames Lorraines

In our drive to become a developed country it is important to take into consideration the standard of development we are aiming for and the major role our women will play in reaching that goal. Good guidance in finding a standard can be found in Kofi Annan's message.

“Study after study has taught us that there is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women. No other policy is as likely to raise economic productivity, or to reduce infant and maternal mortality.

No other policy is as sure to improve nutrition and promote health – including the prevention of HIV/AIDS. No other policy is as powerful in increasing the chances of education for the next generation…. Whatever the real benefits of investing in women, the most important fact remains: women themselves have the right to live in dignity, in freedom from want and freedom from fear.”

The purpose of the events on International Women's Day is to empower and educate women to make the best choices and take positive action.

Catholic women's organisations missed a precious opportunity to encourage people to “live the gospel” and uphold dignity this year. In 2006 I hope to see some more booths. There's a lot of space on the promenade.