Rene Baptiste of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has been named the new president of the Soroptimist International Caribbean Network. Her inauguration took place on the final day of the 27th Biennial Conference, which was held in Grenada over the weekend. The conference, which brought together Soroptimist members from eight Caribbean nations, saw Baptiste succeed Grenada’s Jacqueline Lorice Pascal, who has served as president for the past two years.
In her inaugural address, Baptiste outlined a forward-looking agenda aimed at addressing several pressing issues in the region. Key priorities for her term include promoting period dignity, tackling human trafficking, and addressing the impacts of climate change. Baptiste also announced plans to pursue consultative status with CARICOM, strengthen efforts to combat violence against women, and promote gender equity and economic empowerment for women and girls across the Caribbean. Additionally, she expressed her intention to expand the organization’s reach by incorporating new members from Dominica and St. Lucia.
Outgoing President Pascal, reflecting on her tenure, highlighted several accomplishments under her leadership. Among them were the chartering of Soroptimist International Sunrise Antigua and the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Free the Slaves, an international organization committed to ending modern slavery. Pascal also emphasized the pivotal role Caribbean women play in global human rights and climate change advocacy. Looking ahead, she announced that her club in Grenada will focus on addressing women’s issues during the upcoming carnival season.
Baptiste’s presidency marks a new chapter for the Soroptimist International Caribbean Network, as the organization continues its work to empower women and girls throughout the region.