Nurturing The Next Generation

20,000 Strong

The 20,000 Strong Campaign was conceptualized as a movement to rekindle the Women’s Movement in Belize and galvanize at least 20,000 Belizean women around common concerns of women’s rights and gender equality. The campaign featured a series of high impact communication activities that will culminate in a Women’s Empowerment Rally.

A national call was issued to women across Belize to participate in the 20,000 Strong Women’s Empowerment Rally organized by the Office of the Special Envoy for Women and Children in collaboration with the National Women’s Commission. The event was held on 24th March 2014 under the theme: Imagine a Belize without women. Thousands of both men and women heeded the call and participated in a march through the streets of Belize City followed by a rally featuring dynamic speakers delivering messages of unity and strength.

”20,000 STRONG is a movement with a mission to ignite change in our society! Change in how we think about women, change in how we feel about women, change in how we treat women and change in how women see themselves.”

The 20,000 Strong Rally was the start of a new movement in Belize where the power, influence, and significance of women are fully recognized and appreciated. It is a movement that encourages women to uplift themselves, their families, communities, and each other. It also encourages them to dream big and believe that anything is achievable.

The rally is a biennial event, with the second rally taking place on March 11th, 2016, where Mrs. Simplis Barrow unveiled her 20-4-20 Women's Economic Development program which provides microfinancing, training, and mentorship for women entrepreneurs to start their small businesses or grow existing ones that have become stagnant due to a lack of resources.

The third 20,000 STRONG Women’s Empowerment Rally took place on March 16th, 2018, with a particular focus on adolescents, under the theme: Nurturing the Next Generation

#PressforProgress.

The event provided a space for adolescents from across the country to showcase their artistic talents and innovations as well as a marketplace for female entrepreneurs to promote and sell their products.