Women in Guyana- The unfinished business of achieving women’s equality (Part 2)

Sep 20, 2015 APNU Column, Features / Columnists

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By David A. Granger

ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE
Your government aims at eliminating violence against women. Men have been abusing and killing their wives and partners with frightening frequency. The elderly, children and men have also been victims of abuse. Domestic violence “ physical or

psychological abuse “ is becoming more pervasive. It does not respect race, religion, or class and has penetrated every corner of the country and every stratum of society.
Domestic violence, despite popular belief, is not necessarily caused primarily by drunkenness, drug abuse or everyday disputes. It is more likely the result of a complex interplay of cultural, psychological and social factors which have combined to create an imbalance of power between persons in a relationship. Where there is domination, or where that power imbalance is abused, domestic violence could occur. When society becomes tolerant of such abuse and when law enforcement agencies fail to act against offenders, domestic abuse could flourish and degenerate into violence. Violence in essence, arises out of the real or perceived inequality and subordination of women (and children), which extends beyond the individual or family to the wider society.
Domestic violence is a serious crime which should be treated as such. Guyana’s National Policy on Domestic Violence correctly sees the root of the problem as a power play among persons in a relationship. Such ideas of inferiority and bias because of gender must be challenged if we are to tackle all of the chief sources and causes of domestic violence. Domestic violence should be seen and treated as the violation of fundamental individual and collective rights.  Any campaign to eradicate domestic violence, therefore, must aim at nothing less than changing deep-seated cultural attitudes and behaviour that have been learnt from time immemorial.
The National Policy on Domestic Violence aims, ambitiously, at the “transformation of attitudes that condone or normalise such violence such as gender stereotyping and discrimination.” Central to the counter domestic violence campaign is the Domestic Violence Act of 1996 that provides for a raft of measures including protection, occupation and tenancy orders and allowing for custody and maintenance, among other things.  Passing laws and promulgating policies is one thing; enforcing them, punishing offenders and ending abuses are another.
The Guyana Police Force, the main law-enforcement agency with responsibility for suppressing domestic violence, is gradually responding to the challenge of the crime by training hundreds of officers locally and overseas on how to deal with domestic violence. Some police stations still need to be modified to provide privacy to complainants.  More female officers need to be deployed to handle sensitive cases and court prosecutors need to understand the gravity of the crime.
Domestic violence is rife in Guyana. Family feuds are culminating in severe injuries and fatalities. Happy people do not kill themselves. Happy people do not maim each other. There are troubled families in our country that need help. Your government cannot solve the problems of every troubled family. We can, however, and we will, promote
policies that improve gender and family relations.
EDUCATION ACCESS
Fifthly, your government aims at improving girls’ access to primary and secondary schools.  Increased access to education by girls can be a step towards greater equality. Women have narrowed the educational gap. They have made considerable strides because of access to education and because of their performance in education.
Your government wants to magnify these successes particularly for disadvantaged women. We are keen on ensuring that those women who have not benefitted from a formal education, who dropped out of school or for some other reason did not complete their schooling can have access to remedial programmes that focus on numeracy, literacy and matriculation.  This access will allow them to improve their situation and enjoy employment opportunities. We will also actively encourage women to enter technical professions such as architecture, agriculture and engineering in which women are under-represented.
NATIONAL POLICY
Your government, over the next five years, will remain committed to achieving the objective of building happy families and happy households throughout our country. We want people to be happy. We want families to be happy. We want households to be happy. The proposed National Gender Policy should contribute to promoting greater equality of women.
As we pursue this new National Gender Policy, let us bear in mind that the struggle for equality is a national one. Let us join hands with our sisters in all 10 regions to promote greater equality for women.
Let us consolidate these efforts in the years ahead by together crafting a National Gender Policy that would be relevant to our own circumstances but which also embraces the high ideals that women have struggled for the last century.
We celebrate women’s achievements. They deserve a good life.  God bless Guyanese women!

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