Linnette Vassell is a Jamaican academic, writer, and feminist, who advocates for gender equity and community management of water resources.
She was influential in the creation of Jamaica's ''Minimum Wage Act'' and the ''Maternity Leave Act''.
Education
Vassell has a
master of philosophy
The Master of Philosophy (MPhil; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree. In the United States, an MPhil typically includes a taught portion and a significant research portion, during which a thesis project is conducted under supervision. An MPhil ...
degree in history from the
University of the West Indies.
Career and advocacy
She taught
Caribbean history, with a focus on women's history and women's rights, at the
University of the West Indies during the 1980s and 1990s when she became known for her feminism.
In 1976, she became the first coordinator of the left-wing activist organization the ''Committee of Women for Progress'' where she pushed for legal reforms.
She has been a member of the ''Board of the Small Business Association of Jamaica'', the global ''Gender and Water Alliance'', and the ''
Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action
The Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA) is a nongovernmental organization that advocates for women's rights and empowerment in the Caribbean. The regional network, which serves as an umbrella organization for progressive ...
.''
She was a key figure behind ''The 51% Coalition'', gender equity alliance.
In 2019, she was named as a ''Living Legacy Honoree'' by the Caribbean Community of Retired Persons and by 2021 she was working at the Ministry of Water and Housing.
In 2022, she won the
University of Technology's ''Ubuntu Essence of Humanity Trophy'' in recognition of her contributions towards the 1970's ''Minimum Wage Act'', and the ''Maternity Leave Act''; and for her impact in enabling community control of water and sanitation systems for those in inner-city low-income, rural and remote communities in Jamaica.
Publications (book chapters)
* ''Power, Governance and the Structure of Opportunity for Women in Decision-Making in Jamaica'' in
Patricia Mohammed (editor of) ''The Construction of Gender Development Indicators for Jamaica'', PIOJ/UNDP/CIDA, 2000, Kingston Jamaica
* ''Colonial Gender Policy in Jamaica, 1865-1944'', in Brian Moore & Swithin Wilmot, editors of ''Before and After 1865: Education, Politics and Regionalism in the Caribbean,'' (1998)
See also
*
Feminism in the Caribbean
Feminism in the Caribbean refers to the collection of movements and ideologies aimed at defining, establishing, and defending a state of equal political, economic, cultural, and social rights for women in the Caribbean.
History
At the onset of ...
References
External links
The 51% Coalition Facebook page* Vassell's 2019 op-e
''Lesson of history – Time to repeal the Offences Against the Person Act''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vassell, Linnette
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Jamaican feminists
Jamaican academics
Jamaican activists
University of the West Indies alumni
University of the West Indies academics