The History Forum

Some Observations on Gender, Citizenship, Labour Rights since the Forde Commission Report on Women (1976) in Barbados By, Cherri-Ann Skeete, Student, HIST 3030 The Evolution of Social Policy in Barbados, Department of History and Philosophy, The UWI, Cave Hill Campus The Forde Commission on the status of women was carried out in 1976 and presented in 1978 by Norma Monica Forde on recommendation by Sir Henry Forde who was an advocate for women’s rights in Barbados. The Commission looked at women and their rights in terms of marriage, labour laws, citizenship, criminal laws, and divorce, just to name a few, and made recommendations for the improvement of women’s rights. Citizenship and labour laws are the topics of focus for this research.              The Constitution of Barbados at that time was discriminatory against women in terms of citizenship. In terms of citizenship by descent, a legitimate child of a fa...

Social Hierarchies and the Provision and Use of Recreational Space in Barbados By Donnisha Watson, Student, HIST 3030 The Evolution of Social Policy in Barbados, Department of History and Philosophy, The UWI, Cave Hill Campus Working citizens such as educators, clergymen, clerks and colonial officials identified a need for access to public space for recreational purposes as they were ‘pent up in a close and dusty atmosphere all day, day after day with nothing to relieve the monotony of their occupations’.   There were no public parks or gardens   where adults could go to socialize or no areas where the younger population could go to snatch an hour's enjoyment in the open air.     As such, recreational spaces were provided. However, 85 percent of the spaces in Barbados were created and controlled by the planter class , while the Government and other freeholders jostled for the remaining 15 percent. As such, the middle and upper class co...