Belize Recognizes Fourteen Outstanding Women

Fourteen remarkable Belizean women are in the national spotlight tonight as the National Women’s Commission honors their impact on our country’s growth and progress. From trailblazing educators and innovative entrepreneurs to rising youth leaders, each awardee brings a story of grit, dedication, and purpose. It’s all part of the twenty first Outstanding Women’s Awards Ceremony, an annual celebration of leadership and service across every corner of Belize. News Five’s Shane Williams has the story.

 

Shane Williams, Reporting

For more than two decades, the Outstanding Women’s Awards Ceremony has grown into one of the signature moments of Women’s Month, an annual reminder of just how much Belizean women shape the country’s progress. What started as a small recognition has evolved into a vibrant celebration that mirrors the widening range of women’s leadership, talent, and advocacy across Belize. This year, the ceremony carries a powerful call to action under the theme “Balance the Scales,” urging the nation to keep pushing for fairness, opportunity, and equality in every space where women’s voices matter.

 

Thea Garcia-Ramirez, Minister, Human Development And Gender Affairs

“This is one of the highlights of Women’s Month, in particular for the National Women’s Commission. As a previous chair of the commission, I couldn’t be more proud that they continue the tradition of honoring women for their hard work for the contributions to Belizean society, to Belizean development. The categories have changed slightly in the last few years. But I think that it’s a way of honoring women for specific, from specific sectors and even the girl child, which I think is very important, up and coming leaders to aspire to showcase what they’ve done and what they continue to do for Belize.”

 

Executive Director of the National Women’s Commission Eleanor Murillo says the inclusion of five young awardees this year signals a powerful shift, recognizing that leadership and advocacy are no longer defined by age.

 

Eleanor Murillo, Executive Director, National Women’s Commission

“The award is twenty-one years old, which is excellent. We have been doing this for many years, awarding women from all over the country for the exceptional work that they’re doing. This year is different because if you notice, under the priority area girl child, we had five nominations, five awardees. And which shows that not only women but also our young girls are doing great job within their communities and for this country.”

 

One of those young voices is sixteen-year-old youth leader Kallij Pop.

 

Kallij Pop, Youth Leader

“I attend many workshops, whether that be for advocating for children’s rights or advocating for women’s rights. I love attending these workshops and making my voice be heard because as a young woman, I think that it’s very important that our opinions and our ideas are shared with the world. Additionally, I mentioned earlier in our previous interview that I had an exchange program to Washington DC that was a very enriching experience for me because I got to experience what leadership was like outside of Belize. And I learned many things to bring back home here and to do a community project that is currently in the process; it’s advocating for autism. And I am very honored that my work has been recognized, and I think that it is such a wonderful experience for me.”

 

The ceremony also underscored how powerful recognition can be, especially for women whose hard work often happens out of sight. Special Envoy Rosanna Briceño stressed the value of celebrating those who quietly lift communities, mentor young people, and create opportunities where none existed.

 

Rosanna Briceño, Special Envoy for Families and Children

“We have so many women in our community, in our country, they’re doing a lot of salient work, quietly. Nobody’s shouting out their names. Nobody’s patting them on their backs. And I think a day like this brings together these women from all over the country. And like you rightly said, you giving them their flowers, you highlighting them today it means a lot to them. I see, I saw actually, and felt the emotions in that room, the excitement of getting a little, a plaque, a recognition, a little basket. That goes a long way for anybody telling you, good job. Keep up the good work. So it’s not just women. And I’m and we’re hoping at some point to include some men that are doing extremely good work, but that’s the plan for Belize. We want a better Belize where both men and women can shine and flourish.”

 

As the country continues to push for greater equity and opportunity, today’s ceremony serves as both recognition and call to action encouraging Belizeans to champion fairness, remove barriers and invest in the next generation of leaders. Shane Williams for News Five.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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