Can Women in Power Transform Belize’s Political Culture?

What does it mean for Belizean politics when women rise to leadership in both governing and opposition parties? As the country observes the Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a rare moment of unity emerges in the National Assembly. Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, speaking as a parliamentarian and member of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, welcomed the elevation of Tracy Taegar-Panton as Leader of the Opposition, and head of the United Democratic Party, along with Senator Sheena Pitts as chair of the U.D.P. But beyond the congratulatory tone lies a deeper question: Can women in leadership truly shift the political culture and advance gender equality in a system long dominated by men? And will this solidarity in the caucus translate into real change for women facing violence and discrimination across Belize? These questions loom large as female leaders pledge to leave party politics at the door and advocate for gender justice, while still navigating the sharp divides of parliamentary debate.

 

Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Woman Parliamentarian

“It has to be good. It has to be good, yes. We congratulate the Honorable Tracy Taegar-Panton. I think this is a good moment for her. Of course, we will pepper her in the House of Representatives. We’re not gonna sit back and not promote the good activities of the government and the good actions that we have done. However, I want to say that we must have broad shoulders in order to take criticism. So, I welcome the fact that in the major opposition party there are women at the helm. In terms of Honorable Tracy, and chairlady Sheena Pitts. Sheena is an attorney-at-law and we always treat each other with the greatest of respect. I think Sheena’s sister, Tricia Pitts-Anderson is a senior magistrate and I, speaking now as a woman, and as a member of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus of the National Assembly, I absolutely welcome it. When we go into the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, we leave our party politics at the door and we advocate for women. And I can tell you that Honorable Sheena [Pitts] who is a senator, and Honorable Tracy [Taegar-Panton], the Leader of the Opposition, they give big input. We in the People’s United Party, we give our big input, and then, of course, we have our presiding officers in the persons of the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House. So we’re very pleased, and I want to take this opportunity in the Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence to say that our Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, we are advocating as much as we possibly can and we are doing everything in our power to bring awareness, the continued awareness to gender issues and to reducing, as much as we possibly can, the gender-based violence.”