Bahamas Embassy in Geneva Honors Ms. Marion Bethel

Geneva, Switzerland, 19th December, 2024

On Monday 21 October 2024, H.E. Patricia A. Hermanns, Ambassador/Permanent Representative of The Bahamas to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva, hosted a reception in honour of distinguished Bahamian human rights expert and attorney, Ms. Marion Bethel, on the occasion of the conclusion of Ms. Bethel’s second term of membership in the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW Committee).  Ms. Bethel was elevated to Vice-Chair and Rapporteur of the Committee at the beginning of 2023.  The CEDAW Committee is a body comprising twenty-three elected independent experts, which monitors the implementation of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) at the global level.

(L-R) HE Patricia Hermanns, Ambassador of The Bahamas to the United Nations in Geneva; Mrs. Marion Bethel; Minister the Hon. Alfred Sears, Husband of Mrs. Bethel

Ms. Bethel is the first Bahamian national to have been elected as a member of a UN Treaty Body and one of only a  few CARICOM nationals to have ever served on the Committee, during its 42-year history.  The event was attended by Ambassadors and other members of the diplomatic community, the UN Secretariat, members of civil society and Non-Governmental Organisations, Bahamians and friends of The Bahamas in Geneva.  Ms. Bethel was also supported by members of her family, including the Hon. Alfred Sears, K.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration and National Insurance, and their daughters, Ife and Nia Bethel-Sears.

In her remarks, Ambassador Hermanns reflected on Ms. Bethel’s invaluable contributions as a “true advocate for women’s rights on the global stage”.   Ambassador Hermans further characterised Ms. Bethel as representing a “powerful combination of legal prowess, passion for the causes she believes in and empathy, and together these have yielded a tireless commitment to advancing gender equality that has made a lasting impact.”  Ambassador Hermanns also conveyed a congratulatory message from the Hon. Frederick A. Mitchell, M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Bahamas, recognising the work done by Ms. Bethel at the United Nations, for women and girls. Other speakers at the event included Ms. Ana Paláez Narváez, CEDAW Committee Chair and Ms. Rhoda Reddock, a fellow CEDAW Committee member from CARICOM/GRULAC, both of whom also paid tribute to the significant work and contribution of Ms. Bethel during her time as a CEDAW Committee Member.  This included Ms. Bethel’s service as Chair of the CEDAW Working Group on Inquiries (2019-20) and as a member of the Working Group on Communications (2021-2022) under the CEDAW Optional Protocol. This Working Group sits as a quasi-judicial body to consider individual complaints of women whose rights may have been violated by a State party. During her tenure, Ms. Bethel was also actively engaged within the Committee on issues such as trafficking, the Sustainable Development Goals and Cooperation with National Human Rights Institutions, among others.

Ms. Bethel Giving Remarks.

Minister Sears proposed a toast heralding the achievements of Ms. Bethel and recalled her tenacity and strength of character, even during seasons of adversity experienced by them as a  family.  In her address, Ms. Bethel expressed gratitude to all those who supported her on her journey, including her family, fellow CEDAW members, current and past, as well as other colleagues and friends, and recounted the challenges and sacrifices that that she had overcome throughout the past eight years as part of her dedication to the work of the Committee; which had nevertheless been a rewarding and fulfilling experience.  In recalling the challenging situation faced by women and girls at the global level, particularly in light of ongoing conflicts, Ms. Bethel recalled that there was still a long way to go toward the achievement of full gender equality.  She also expressed the hope that, in the future, more Bahamian nationals would have the opportunity to serve as members of UN Treaty Bodies.

Ms. Bethel served two consecutive terms on the CEDAW Committee having first been elected by the UN General Assembly in June 2016 to serve on the Committee from 2017-2020.  Ms. Bethel was then successfully re-elected in June 2020 to serve for a second term from 2021-2024.  Ms. Bethel’s second term on the Committee concludes on 31 December 2024.