Jewel Taylor

"Firstly, becoming the first female vice president of my nation broke the mould that only men were capable of being vice presidents."

"The age-old barriers to women’s empowerment are structural, patriarchal, discriminatory laws and low capacities. We must eliminate all forms of violence against women and adopt parity laws."

"I encountered challenging times during my tenure as vice president, primarily due to the conventional expectation of maintaining a quiet demeanour. History showed all vice presidents preceding me adhered to a policy of silence and following the leader. Being a woman and an advocate for women’s rights, I felt compelled to speak up about many issues."

"Over the past 24 years, thousands of young women have taken advantage of the opportunities provided; through my personal support and that of the Jewel Star Fish Foundation, many of whom are positively impacting their world in many fields of study."

"The truth is that politics is tough terrain, but it takes a clear vision, proper planning and execution of plans, commitment, hard work and consistency to succeed. Despite the many challenges, women should not allow themselves to be left out of the process."