Our women must remain positive and affirm their identity

Mar 07, 2010 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

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By Latchmin Punalall – AFC, MP

Tomorrow March 8, 2010 International Women’s Day will be celebrated across the world. This date is recognized by the UN and in many countries it is a national holiday.
It is a day when women in all countries, regardless of divisions of national boundaries, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences are remembered in an exceptional way.
The UN Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was adopted since 1979 by the UN General Assembly. Countries which subscribe to this convention have committed to undertake measures to end all discrimination against women.
They are required to ensure that there is elimination of all acts of prejudice, inequality and unfairness against women by persons, organizations, or enterprises.
This means that women should have equal access to public and political life, as well as education, health and employment.
As poverty continues to reign in our country, our women are the ones who feel the impact of the daily economic hardships.
Our women are the domestic economists who are required to manage our households with skill and thrift. They are the home executives who plan, organise, lead, co-ordinate and manage the home.
If perhaps they are blessed with a G$40,000 per month they are the ones who have to share this meagre sum in such needs as water, electricity, food, clothing, transportation, medical, telephone bills, children’s education etc.
Unfortunately many households do not earn this net income and therefore many of these vital areas of need have to be ignored or neglected.
The Phagwah message of the PPP/C to our nation, as published in the March 1, 2009 issue of the Kaieteur News said “we must intensify the battle against the evils of poverty so that all our people could realize their potential”.
These are wonderful words on paper but they need to be translated into reality.
Just recently the PPP/C administration had a wonderful opportunity in the 2010 budget to demonstrate to this nation that it was serious about reducing poverty. Unfortunately this budget showed that the income tax threshold remained where it was, VAT remained where it was and the minimum wage remained where it was. All of this means continued poverty.
In addition to economic hardships, the monster in the shape of domestic violence continues to stalk our land.
Our women face emotional and physical pain, and even disability and death as they remain victims of violent behaviour especially from the opposite sex.
Instead of genuine love, many times they have to face disappointment, neglect, rejection and abuse in relationships. There are laws intended to protect our women but the weakness seems to be enforcement.
Only recently the local press reported that two young Guyanese, a male and a female were found dead in an apartment in Trinidad.
This young woman was so badly abused here that she nearly died. She fled to Trinidad in her quest for safety but her attacker followed her all the way to Trinidad. This incident shows the vulnerability of our women even when they run for their life.
The third difficulty which many of our Guyanese women have to deal with is the task of a dual career. They serve as the home maker and simultaneously hold a fulltime job. There were the days when the postmen delivered mail. Today it is the post girls.
A few months ago I visited a primary school located on the East Coast of Demerara where from the Head Mistress down to the security were all females.
In many countries women take up jobs outside the home and succeed as both a homemaker and a career woman. However in such countries they earn enough to afford certain amenities which greatly reduce the labour associated with homemaking.
They can afford such things as washing machines, vacuum cleaners, electric stoves, dish washing machines, and even a car.
They may even afford a baby sitter or domestic. Can the average Guyanese teacher or post girl afford these things? Certainly not.
Most of our women still cook on firesides or kerosene stoves, do their laundry and dishes by hand, and do all their cleaning by hand. This means that in addition to keeping an eight-hour job they also work a further five to six hours at home.
In all of this, my encouragement to our women is for them to remain positive and to affirm their identity.
Phyllis Schlafly wrote some very helpful words in her book, The Power of the Positive Woman. She said “Like every human being born into this world, the Positive Woman has her share of sorrow and suffering, of unfulfilled desires and bitter defeats.
But she will never be crushed by life’s disappointments, because her positive mental attitude can never be fractured.
To the Positive Woman, her particular set of problems is not a conspiracy against her, but a challenge to her character and her capabilities”.
The incoming AFC government will therefore focus on (1) The promotion of legal measures to protect women (2) The mobilization of public opinion and international action to protect women (3) The compilation of gender statistics to help women and (4) Providing direct assistance to disadvantaged groups.
Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to become a physician in the US said “What is done or learned by one class of women becomes, by virtue of their common womanhood, the property of all women”.
Let us therefore continue the struggle for equality, peace, justice and development. Proverbs 31:10 declares “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies”.
May our women look at their femaleness as part of their purpose, potential, and power and rejoice in their creativity and capability. May God bless all of our women and Guyana.

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