PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Women’s Desk a division within the Department of Community Development, Family & Humanitarian Affairs (CDFHA), an execution department within the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development & Labor, successfully hosted two successful self-defense training programs in the past. However, to change their approach and provide participants with better insight and understanding of what to expect in the upcoming third cohort of the Women’s Self-Defense training scheduled for later this quarter, they hosted a two-hour bootcamp on June 8th which saw excellent participation. Recognizing the success and high demand, a second cohort was conducted on June 15th, also receiving enthusiastic attendance.
Women’s Desk, functions as the focal point for the empowerment and advancement of women through its advisory and advocacy role related to women, gender, and family affairs.
The bootcamps were facilitated by Ms. Aarti Baran, a distinguished self-defense expert who was the World Champion in Japanese Jiu-Jitsu in 2010 and holds multiple top ten rankings in international martial arts competitions. Ms. Baran has extensive experience in training law enforcement personnel and various private sector companies. Her approach combines mastery of martial arts techniques with the ability to anticipate and react to an opponent’s behavior in challenging situations.
Minister of VSA, Ms. Veronica Jansen, actively participated in the bootcamp to support this important initiative and to gain firsthand insight into the training participants will receive. Minister Jansen emphasized the importance of self-defense for women, highlighting benefits such as empowerment, increased confidence, physical conditioning, violence prevention, and heightened awareness of one’s surroundings, particularly in potentially vulnerable situations like using an ATM or walking to a car.
Further information regarding the upcoming training sessions will be shared in a subsequent press release. Women’s Desk urges interested individuals to register promptly once registration opens, as space is limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Women’s Desk remains committed to rolling out empowerment programs focused on strengthening the position of women in our community.
