‘Empowering women as leaders of change’

Office of the Governor special assistant for Women’s Affairs Doris Drew recognized all women in the CNMI in celebration of March as Women’s Month in yesterday’s proclamation signing by acting governor Victor B. Hocog on Capital Hill.

This was Hocog’s second time to proclaim March as Women’s Month.

NMI Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence executive director Maisie B. Tenorio read the proclamation in English, vice speaker Janet U. Maratita (R-Saipan) in Chamorro, and Carolinian Affairs Cultural Program coordinator Del R. Lieto in Carolinian.

Drew said the CNMI continues to take big steps in strengthening support for women’s rights that inspire women in the community to celebrate their achievements. “Women have been participating in our political, social, cultural, and economic setting. It reflects the progress we’ve made in effecting change in every women in our community. We celebrate the courage and determination of ordinary women who helped shape the history of our community and our islands.”

Reducing the gender gap has also made progress in the CNMI, she said, with the creation of the Women’s Affairs Office. “There’s a woman in every board appointed by the governor, women in the Legislature, several top offices in the private sector and non-profit organizations are held by women.”

“We should be proud of these achievements by women but we still need some work. The administration of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and [Lt. Gov. Victor B.] Hocog are headed in the right direction as reflected in the Cabinet appointments.”

Secretaries Edith Deleon Guerrero (Labor), Larrisa Larson (Finance), and Marianne Teregeyo (Public Lands) are some of the women on the administration’s Cabinet and in other agencies and divisions in the Executive Branch, along with other special assistants like Shirley Ogumoro (Administration).

Drew said they recognize all women in different sectors of the community. “Mothers, who make sure her kids have clean clothes to wear and meals to eat; the clerk at the grocery store who works to help her family pay the bills; police officers who make our communities safe; the doctors and nurses who provide better healthcare for us.

“Members of the Legislature who create public policy; the lay workers in our churches and places of prayer; the retirees who serve the government; the veterans who fought for our freedom and protect our democracy; and volunteers who unselfishly give time to support various causes.”

Villa M. Hocog, the acting governor’s wife, said that March should be a reminder to all women to be inspired by those who shatter the stereotype, “women who have the courage to break free from the chains of belief as well as society’s conditioning that kept women suppressed and unable to explore their true potential and power.”

“As parents, we teach children to reach for their goal. We all want our [female] kids to be successful women, who just want to have equal opportunity to men,” she added.