BARBADOS NOMINATION FOR 2009 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE

UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 000638

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR G/IWI AND WHA/CAR FROM AMBASSADOR OURISMAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KWMN PREL KPAO PHUM XL
SUBJECT: BARBADOS NOMINATION FOR 2009 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE
AWARD

REF: STATE 99729

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SUMMARY
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1. (U) I am pleased to nominate Mary Thompson, RN, of Barbados, for
the Secretary's Award for International Women of Courage for 2009
(biodata at end of cable). A highly qualified registered nurse and
president of the Business and Professional Women's Club, Mary
Thompson has become a leading advocate for developing infrastructure
in Barbados to address the consequences of domestic violence and
educate and protect women in the country from victimization. End
summary.

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Mary the Nurse
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2. (U) A product of the now defunct St. Leonard's Girls school,
Mary Thompson was bent on becoming a nurse. After three years of
intense study Mary was amongst the first students to graduate with
the Associate Degree in Applied Science- General Nursing in 1990,
and was one of the first nurses to successfully complete the Advance
Cardiac life support course. In December, 2000, Mary left the Queen
Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) after 10 years of dedicated service and
ventured into a relatively new area of nursing- occupational health.
In that capacity, she introduced programs and activities that
contributed directly to the 500 employees of Barbados Light and
Power having significant reductions in time off from work and
medical claims while at the same time actively taking responsibility
for their own health.

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Mary's Contribution to Civic Society
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3. (U) Mary's interest in domestic violence was piqued when she
worked in the emergency room at QEH and intensified while she worked
in a private hospital and realized the staggering number of abused
women who sought care privately. She has become an advocate on
women's issues, particularly the issue of family violence. In her
role as president of the Business and Professional Women's Club, she
has responsibility for the operations of the lone shelter for
battered women in Barbados and supervision of a 24-hour crisis
center hotline.


4. (U) Mary has been instrumental in organizing and presenting
many public awareness and educational programs for teenagers, PTA,
churches, other NGOs on health related issues, chronic diseases in
Barbados, sexual assault, intimate partner violence and family
violence. Mary has also played a pivotal role in the ground work
done for soon to be instituted Human Trafficking legislation in
Barbados. In conjunction with the Barbados Bureau of Gender Affairs
she made public presentations in Speightstown and Heroes Square to
create an awareness of the issue of human trafficking.


5. (U) In support of her work on domestic violence, Mary has taken
the initiative to become Barbados' first and only trained forensic
nurse. She is currently working with Quinnipiac University to
organize Elder Abuse training in November for home help workers and
nurses working in Geriatric hospitals. In addition, she is working
with the Bureau of Gender Affairs to have a Sexual Assault Response
Team established in Barbados. This will allow for training of more
forensic nurses and allow women who are sexually assaulted to have
the dignity of not being revictimized and to be examined by a female
nurse.


6. (U) BIODATA

Name: Mary Thompson
Job title : Registered nurse/Midwife, Sexual Assault forensic
Examiner
Date of birth: 13th March 1968
Citizenship: Barbadian
Address: Fordes Road, Clapham, St. Michael, Barbados
Telephone: (246) 429-3704 or (246) 234-3015
Passport # 0645019

Ms. Thompson has been contacted about this nomination and is willing
to be recognized.

OURISMAN