From the Cayman Islands Family Resource Centre.

The 17th annual Honouring Women Month (HWM) celebrations begin on 1 March 2015 and continue through the end of the month.

The Family Resource Centre (FRC) is coordinating activities that will celebrate the contributions that women make to society, while also focusing on how the country addresses gender inequalities.

The 17th annual observance will begin at the Cayman Islands Baptist Church next to Pedro Castle on Sunday, 1 March at 10:00 am. The next day, on 2 March, listeners can tune into Radio Cayman at 1:00 pm for a woman’s roundtable that will focus on gender equality, fairer recognition of women in arts & sports and financial gains for women.

Then on Sunday, 8 March, an afternoon event that will offer multiple activities for people of all ages is scheduled for the National Gallery at 4:00 pm.

The featured attraction is the premiere of two local films by PCreative- Beautiful Struggle and Girls Voice – both of which star the women and girls of the Cayman Islands.

Beautiful Struggle looks at girls who become mothers at a young age and how their lives change. Meanwhile Girls Voice will feature high school girls from all over the Grand Cayman sharing their unedited opinions on family, school, drugs and sex as well as advice for future generations.

The event will provide an opportunity for guests to create vision/dream boards that reflect their personal inspiration, but also to contribute to a community vision board that depicts what needs to happen for the Cayman Islands to achieve gender equality.

A drum circle by local artists is also included on the programme. Organisers will also unveil photo displays of women who make it happen along with the He For She photo competition (being led by Celebrtions Ltd) – a United Nations initiative – where men are encouraged to stand together in solidarity in support of gender equality. Guests will also enjoy an array of sparkling teas by Tea Time Cayman and treats from Fosters Food Fair.

The FRC has also planned to incorporate women-focused activities into its regular family skills session classes. These will take place at East End Primary School &Thursday, 19 March 2015, then at CIFEC on Monday, 30 March 2015. Discussions will continue on Cayman Brac at parent-child workshops at the Youth Development Center, date to be announced.

Meanwhile organisers have scheduled the annual Colour Me Purple 5K Walk/Run for Sunday 22 March 2015. The event aims to raise funds for programmes that the Centre provides to women and children in the community.

Starting from Smith Cove, the route will continue along South Sound to the Avenue. Registration is $15. All participants are asked to wear purple or the 5K shirt ready for color bombing powder from the stations. For more information or to register, visit www.frc.gov.ky or www.caymanactive.com.

Explaining the significance of this year’s chosen theme, FRC’s Programme Coordinator Miriam Foster said, “Making It Happen calls for more women to take action in senior leadership positions, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields and entrepreneurship; as well as for equal recognition of the genders in arts and sports. Do not wait for something to happen. Get out there and do it!”

Throughout March, He For She participants are asked to continue to submit photos with hashtag #HeForShe and sign an online pledge throughout the month of March.

For a full list of Honouring Women Month festivities or to submit your photo, contact 949-0006 or email [email protected]

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