Maizie Barker-Welch

Dame Maizie Barker-Welch, DBE, was a Barbadian woman's rights activist and member of parliament.
She was born Mazie Irene Barker, into a family of clergy, the first child of the Rev. Frank H. Barker and his wife; her younger brother Rev. Frank A. Barker and nephew the Rev. Kirk Barker were also ministers.
She was [1986 Barbados|Barbadian general election|elected in 1986] as a member of the House of Assembly, and also served in the Senate and Cabinet. She was elected in the DLP landslide of 1986, representing the constituency of St Joseph.
Barker-Welch was instrumental in the passage of the Domestic Violence Act. She lost Re-election in 1991.
She was President of the National Organisation of Women, and a patron of the Barbados Sea Turtle Project.

Death and honours

Barker-Welch died at the age of 96. The local media, Barbados Today, called her a "distinguished educator, politician, advocate for women’s rights, and influential public servant". Tributes for her were made by Prime Minister Mia Mottley, and Ronnie Yearwood.
Barker-Welch was named a dame commander in 2014 as part of the New Year's Honours. On 1 January 2014, for the New Year Honours, she was appointed as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire "for services to national, regional and international advocation for the rights of women." She was the only Barbadian appointed that year by Elizabeth II, in her right as Queen of Barbados, on advice of the Barbadian Government.
She also "received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of the West Indies."
Her funeral was held at Bank Hall, and was buried at the historic Clifton Hill Moravian Church.
She had four children.