Former University of the West Indies Vice-Chancellor elected member of UN Anti-Discrimination Committee

Former University of the West Indies Vice-Chancellor elected member of UN Anti-Discrimination Committee

Professor Emeritus, the Most Reverend Eudine Barriteau is the first Barbados representative to the Commission in 30 years

University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters, Jamaica, Wisconsin. Tuesday, June 11, 2024— The Most Reverend Violet Eudine Barriteau, former Cave Hill Campus President and Vice-Chancellor Emeritus, has been appointed a member of the prestigious United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

She becomes the current country representative of Barbados to the 23-member global body of independent experts that monitors the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, following the election of new members of the Commission for the term 2025-2028, which took place on 7 June 2024 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The convention was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979 with the aim of improving the civil and legal status of women, ensuring gender equality and safeguarding women’s reproductive rights.

All CARICOM countries are signatories to the Convention, which has 189 States parties. Barbados ratified the Convention in 1980 and its last representative was Norma Monica Ford, who served on the Committee from 1987 to 1994.

Professor Barito is a feminist scholar, higher education leader, activist and political scientist who has been committed to women’s rights and gender equality for 35 years. Her work has not only influenced national, regional and international organizations, but also inspired a new generation of advocates. She has researched and published extensively on women’s leadership and has created outreach and academic training programs to develop women’s leadership. At the University of the West Indies, she founded and institutionalized the Caribbean Institute for Gender and Development Studies, the only institute of its kind in the Caribbean Commonwealth for 30 years.

Professor Clive Landis, who succeeded Professor Barito as Vice-Chancellor, said: “The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus is delighted to appoint the former Vice-Chancellor, the Honourable Professor V. Yudin Barito, as a Commissioner of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. We are extremely proud of Professor Barito’s achievements as she adds a strong and distinguished voice to our ranks in the global fight to eliminate discrimination against women.”

Professor Barito retired in 2021. Her career at the University of the West Indies included six years as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the Cave Hill Campus, one year as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the Open Campus, six years as Vice-Chancellor of the Cave Hill Campus, four years as Co-ordinator of Postgraduate Studies and Research at the Cave Hill Campus and fifteen years as Head of Gender and Development at the Nita Barrow Unit at the Cave Hill Campus.

The entire University of the West Indies congratulates Professor Emeritus, The Most Reverend Violet Eudine Barriteau, on this important recognition, which acknowledges her tireless efforts and strong commitment to the cause of gender equality.

end

Former Cave Hill Campus President and Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Professor, The Most Reverend Violet Eudine Barriteau has been appointed as a member of the prestigious United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

About the University of the West Indies

The University of the West Indies has been a key force in all aspects of development in the Caribbean and has been at the heart of all efforts to improve the well-being of the people of the region for 75 years.

UWI began as University College London in Jamaica in 1948 with 33 medical students. Today, UWI is an internationally renowned global university with nearly 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona from Jamaica, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Mountain in Barbados, The five islands of Antigua and Barbuda and Global Campusand A global center established in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

The University of the West Indies offers more than 1000 Certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options exist Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it has access to the largest pool of BroadCast Unitedlectual and professional knowledge in the Caribbean, working to address critical issues in our region and the wider world.

The University of the West Indies is consistently ranked as one of the best universities in the world by the most reputable ranking agencies. Times Higher Education (THE). Since UWI first appeared in the Times Higher Education rankings in 2018, it has performed well in a number of categories, including the World University Rankings, the Golden Age University Rankings (50 to 80 years old), the Latin America Rankings and the Impact Rankings, which are notable for their response to the world’s greatest concerns, as outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including good health and well-being, gender equality and climate action.

to know more information www.uwi.edu