Women and Gender Equality Commission urges…All must stand up and speak out for women’s rights

Dec 02, 2014 News

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As women and girls from across Guyana converged in Georgetown for a one-day conference,

they were being told that the time has come for them to shun fear, stand up and speak up for gender equality and women empowerment.
The Women and Gender Equality Commission last Friday held the Guyana- Beijing +20 National Conference to review the progress, gaps and actions in Guyana’s implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPFA).
The activity held at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, saw riveting presentations from local and international organisations, such as CARICOM, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Women Multicultural Office (Caribbean) and United States Embassy among several others.
The conference was one that highlighted the achievements of women in Guyana from 2010 to 2014. It also focused on Women Rights and Empowerment, Leadership and Governance, Impact of Technology and Families as well as Economic Opportunities and Trend.
The Guyana-Beijing partnership came about when more than 17,000 delegates and 30,000 activists came together in Beijing in 1995 for the Fourth World Conference on Women, culminating in 189 governments adopting a visionary roadmap for gender equality.
The Platform envisions a world where each woman and girl can exercise her freedoms and choices, and realise her rights, such as the right to live free from violence, the right to go to school, the right to participate in decisions, and the right to earn equal pay for equal work.
The Conference, which saw attendance peaking at about 300 men, women and students, was also held in observance of the International Day Against Violence Against Women (November 25), and the 16 days of Human Rights Activism.
It was held under the theme “Let’s challenge militarism and end violence against woman.”
Addressing the attendees, Chairperson of the Commission, Indra Chandarpal, said that the conference provided a chance for all to stop, listen and take a closer look at the strides women have made so far.
“We cannot talk about human rights without talking about women’s rights.” Her words were echoed by many of the women who presented at the all-day event. The Chairperson spoke, too, of the Commission’s commitment to focus on domestic violence, the enforcement of laws and access to justice.
Also speaking at the event was Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Jennifer Webster, who said that that women play a key role in lifting a nation out of poverty yet cultural norms and religion in the developing world have often blocked their progress.
She added that young girls are rarely allowed to complete their education before starting a family or a job and this has resulted in two-thirds of the world’s illiterate population being women due to gender discrimination, and this needs to be changed.
Webster said that in August 2013, CARICOM members met in Barbados and generated a joint statement representing the Caribbean’s voice and expectations in the emerging post-2015 and global agenda as it relates to gender equality.
The Minister added that the achievements that the country has made in this regard thus far, including girls’ participation and enrolment in education especially at a tertiary level, more job opportunities and greater involvement of women in the economy.
Nevertheless, she said that more work needs to be done as she identified some of the targeted areas on which the Ministry will be focusing to ensure gender equality. Webster also noted that gender-based violence should be recognised as a public health issue.
The Global Gender Report ranks Guyana at 34 out of 134 for wage equality for similar work. The government is also looking at enhancing legislation as well as to initiate news ones to meet the demands of a changing society.
The Minister said that a woman’s life expectancy is age 70 and women of today have to work to ensure that their golden years are not characterized by marginalization and discrimination.
Minister Webster said, “The promotion of gender quality and women’s empowerment is an unfinished agenda which will undoubtedly require attention in the context of the post – 2015 development framework. We have seen what we need to do and now is the time to do it, and together if we join forces we can do it.”
The government, she said, remains committed to ending domestic violence but cannot do it alone.
Among those at the ceremony were Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Members of Parliament Cathy Hughes and Valerie Lowe, Madam Justice Roxanne George along with other dignitaries and members of the diplomatic corps.

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