Today, the Belize Defense Force held a women’s symposium in conjunction with International Women’s Month. The ceremony included a guard of honour for Governor-General Froyla Tzalam. Today, the accomplishments of the top female achievers in the B.D.F. were highlighted and the campaign for gender-equality in the military was underscored. For Brigadier-General Azariel Loria, the contributions, successes, accomplishments and leadership roles of the few women in the military should be a topic of discussion and thrust going forward for the B.D.F. News Five’s Marion Ali was present for the ceremony and filed the following report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
There are very few female B.D.F soldiers who hold meaningful positions in the male-dominated profession. But today, an exception was made to highlight the successes of the female members, particularly in the very few leadership positions in the military. Brigadier-General, Azariel Loria said that in the pursuit of gender equality, today should serve as a reminder of the commitment to empower, uplift, and champion the invaluable contribution of women in the armed forces, and the need to ensure their safety, inclusion, and advancement through the ranks.
Commander Azariel Loria, Brigadier-General, B.D.F
“We have changed our policies, some of our directives, our sexual harassment policy, our SHARP policy, that is the sexual harassment and response prevention initiative. We have regulated our operational deployment when it comes to women – how they should be treated.”
Marion Ali
“What about their promotion and ensuring that they get equal opportunities to go abroad and study and meaningful positions within the BDF, leadership positions?
“For the first time in the history of the Belize Defense Force that we have a promoted Lieutenant Colonel. Her name is Lydia Guerra, Dr. Lydia Guerra. She is the first-ever woman, female, to get promoted to such a high rank. She is now a senior officer and she has been appointed as our first medical officer. She controls, she is in control of our hospital and all our other doctors.”
That senior female B.D.F. officer, Dr. Lydia Guerra, told News Five that she started out as a cadet, as any other officer, but she was privileged to have obtained a scholarship to study medicine at the Mexican Military Academy. And she said that it was not easy then and still experiences a degree of discrimination now, simply because she is a woman in that position.
Lieutenant Col., Lydia Guerra, Force Medical Officer, B.D.F
“Being a cadet there on a whole has its challenges in terms of being in a male-dominated environment as well. And we also had to do just as all the men did there and meet our educational goals and expectations. Upon arrival back home, it has similar challenges being a part of the Belize Defense Force in terms of garnering that respect from our subordinates because arriving here I was commissioned to an officer and subsequently moved up to the rank of captain, that had been traditionally done for other doctors who joined the force. Also working in the capacity of the medical officer at the hospital, seeing our patients and we still have that stereotype where as they see a female, they automatically assume that it’s a nurse. So they would walk in and they’d ask, “Nurse, excuse me, can I see the doctor?” And I would have to say, “You’re seeing one and I’m doctor.”
In the B.D.F.’s enlisted bracket, Warrant Officer, Dianca Reyes also holds a senior position and, according to Commander Loria, is now in line to become the woman officer to take on a top role in the B.D.F. Governor-General, Dame Froyla Tzalam shared keen observations about girls and women having to work twice as hard as boys and men in the home.
Governor-General, Dame Froyla Tzalam
“It seemed unfair to me as a child that despite working as hard as my brother on the farm, I still had to do household chores like preparing lunch when we came back from working in the fields. Whereas my older brother was not expected to do anything other than rest while we prepared the food. As an adult, I saw her woman who worked outside of the home still had to come home and cook and clean and do all the other household chores, while their partners – male partners – did minimal work. We women have to work twice as hard as men in our families when we do paid work outside of the home. At the same time, women in the workforce earn just 70 percent of men’s pay. A report from the World Bank released earlier this month stated that no country in the world gives women the same opportunities as men in the workforce. No country in the world.”
Aside from these realities for women, those who join the military oftentimes must endure sexual harassment from their male peers. But Commander Loria says this will not be tolerated in the military, and to ensure this, he expounded on what the SHARP policy prohibits.
“The Sexual Harassment Assault Response and Prevention Policy is a crucial step towards creating a safer and more respectful military community demonstrative or commitment to eradicating sexual harassment. This policy not only serves as a deterrent against sexual misconduct, but also establishes support mechanisms for survivors. It is not just about reacting to incidents, but also about proactively creating an environment where such acts are unthinkable. It is mandated upon us to ensure that every member of our armed forces feel secure in reported incidents, confident enough that justice will be served.”
Loria says that the military’s commitment in leadership diversity is not only a nod to equality, but a strategic imperative that enhances the effectiveness of their operations. Marion Ali for News Five.
