yesterday.

The attack was mounted by Shelby Durham, who heads a health management firm in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.

But she added: "I was not surprised to find that research on women's issues here in Bermuda was not even worthy of funding.'' Ms Durham, president and CEO of Rehab Options Inc., appeared to be lining up Government in her sights.

Her remarks came during yesterday's Bermuda Public Service Association's International Women's Day Luncheon at the Sonesta Beach Hotel.

Yesterday was International Women's Day -- a time for celebrating female achievements around the world. The first International Women's Day was held 150 years ago.

Ms Durham revealed statistics that back up the Task Force on Women's Issues's finding that women still appeared to be underpaid.

She said the most recent local finance statistic showed that a hospital receptionist with five years experience earned less than gardeners, night watchmen and sanitation workers.

"At the Airport, clerical and kitchen staff are paid less than bellmen,'' Ms Durham said. "At the Post Office a janitor is paid more than a female janitor.'' The Bermudian born guest speaker called the Task Force on Women's Issues, which provided Government with 190 recommendations, an "excellent baseline resource guide''.

And she commended the report's authors for their work "in spite of the fact that they did not have any funding to complete the job''.

But she expressed her pleasure over Government's recent move to budget some funds for research into women's issues.

Ms Durham, who currently lives in Pennsylvania, told the 150-strong audience that today's women still faced the same problems that existed 100 years ago.

"We as women continue not to receive our fair share in the workplace in national government,'' Ms Durham said.

And she argued that women's rights were in fact human rights.

"Although these women's issues seem to affect women more than they do men, this afternoon I will submit to you that women's rights are human rights.'' Ms Durham spoke of a number of distinguished "forgotten'' women from around the world whose stories had been "crammed in history's trash can''.

But she said that a number of local writers, through their books, had ensured that Bermudians never forgot their heroines like Nurse Alice Scott and Dr.

Olivia Tucker.

And she said that the "struggles and triumph'' of those women were no different from the challenges faced by today's trail blazers like Anna Faria, who fought for Portuguese rights, and human rights activist Dr. Eva Hodgson.

Ms Durham also noted that the leaders of Bermuda's major political parties were women.

In the work force, Ms Durham said women's roles were expanding to encompass areas once considered as male territory.

She pointed out that currently women made up 53 percent of the work force, with 41 percent of those working women possessing post secondary education.

"We see the traditional roles of women in the workplace expanding from social workers, health care workers and educators to include roles in finance, insurance ... business,'' she said. "And more women are choosing careers in technology, management and manufacturing.

"Our little girls aren't just playing with dolls anymore.'' WOMEN WOM