The ascension of Kamla Persad-Bissessar to the highest office in the land was chief among the milestones for women of T&T since the country became an independent nation.

In the last 50 years women have progressed in the fields of medicine, education, law and politics. Like activists Elma Francois and Claudia Jones who went before them, women have articulated their presence and voice to issues of national interest.

None of this came easy.

"Everything we have gained as women has come through struggle and negotiation," says Dr Gabrielle Hosein, assistant lecturer at UWI's Institute for Gender and Development Studies.

"In the last 50 years women have made a number of important advances that should not be negated. In 1980 we witnessed feminism in T&T which shaped movement building. Women's organisations made changes in the country in terms of the consciousness of women's rights and they challenged the family pattern."

In the field of education women have also made strides. There was a time when women had no access to free education. When that changed, women still had to jump through hoops to gain a university education.

"To be admitted to the University of the West Indies women had to score higher marks than men in their final examinations," said Dr Diana Mahabir-Wyatt, chairperson of the Coalition Against Domestic and Gender-based Violence.

University education afforded those women a chance to get better jobs with the number of women in the workforce moving from less than 30 per cent pre Independence to 50 per cent post Independence.

"Domestic workers were able, for the first time, to take cases to the Industrial Court, the increase of the minimum wage and the state's recognition of common-law marriages have also benefitted women," Mahabir-Wyatt said.

There has also been an evolution of women's roles, Dr Kris Rampersad, writer, researcher and gender development advisor observed.

"In terms of how they are viewed and presented in national life, women have really come into their own in the public sphere as they have in the private sphere for decades where Caribbean women, and the women of T&T have always held significant power and leverage – think of the women in the canefields, in the markets, in the domestic and small industries who have supported, not just supplemented, family incomes for generations – though this has not generally been acknowl- edged."

Poet, playwright and cultural activist Eintou Pearl Springer, while joining in the celebration of achievements made by women, said she couldn't divorce the milestones from the scenes that continue to play out on a daily basis in depressed areas.

"As an African woman I feel invisible and undermined and I am concerned about the African woman and my community. I say that with no apologies."

Springer said 1838, the year of Emancipation from slavery, is her watershed rather than 1962.

She said in the post Emancipation period women have been the burden bearers of the race but that position of women shifted in the generation after hers.

Springer witnessed Independence as a teenager, went to the first Government co-ed school and got an exhibition to high school. Through it all, she has always been surrounded by strong women.

"Even though the men were absent, uncles helped out as women took charge of the family. "Today, when I look at my community, women seem to have given up. They seem to be looking for their own fulfillment to the detriment of their children.

"The words of the stickfight lavway,  'mooma, mooma, yuh son in the grave already, take your towel and band yuh belly', come to mind. Women are grieving for their sons and their men. "

Catherine Kumar, CEO of the Trinidad Chamber of Commerce, who has broken a few glass ceilings, attributed the missing generation syndrome to the lack of balance between career, family life and social life.

"There was a time when grandmothers were the backbone and took care of grandchildren. Not so today.

"With grandmothers now working, this support has diminished and children are being left alone or at places where they are not being challenged to think or taught sound values.

"This I believe contributes to some of the challenges in society- delinquent youths. There needs to be greater support in the work place and infrastructure generally to support working women."

Domestic violence and the lack of gender equality continue to be grey areas for women.

"There needs to be a turnaround in the domestic violence figures," Mahabir-Wyatt said. She believes that couples could benefit from mediation, problem solving and negotiating arguments in relationships.

 That violence against women is no longer glorified in our calypsoes, as it once was, is a huge advancement Hosein said.

"There has been a serious shift and now the woman is seen for who she is, a human being who needs to be respected."

The ideas pertaining to gender continue to be static in this country, according to Professor Patricia Mohammed.

"There is an aberration of some norm that women will somehow go back home and take care of the young, old and their husbands and that men will rediscover their rightful place in society as leaders. This was never the case, some women have always forged ahead, and there is no fixed mould for gender."

Mohammed said she would like to see a change of gender ideas.

"We have to have the gender policy passed and accepted. Men and women both have to see themselves as equal nurturers, caretakers of families and society as both will invariably always be sharing the economic burdens and responsibilities of same."

 Looking ahead, Mahabir-Wyatt wants to see more women commanding heights, to quote her.

"A few women have broken the glass ceiling but I want to see more of them as chair of boards."

Springer wants to see a refocus on the African lifestyle.

"African women in this country lack a sense of self and so they are opened to negativity."

You've come a long way baby, the theme of feminism and women's liberation used as a marketing slogan by Virginia Slims cigarettes, played its part in empowering women all over the world. Could the same be said of women in T&T? After 50 years have we come a long way?

"Of course we have, a very long way," Professor Mohammed declared.

"Women can virtually do anything they wish to at present — but there will always be room for more progress for as soon as we reach goals, the goal posts change."

 Essiba.small@gmail.com