Canada-funded sexual and reproductive health project launched

Nov 03, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – The High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana on Monday launched a CAD 2.25M Equal Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)’ Project in Guyana.

From left: Dr. Ertenisa Hamilton, Director of Family and Primary Health Care Services; Jewel Quallo-Rosberg, Officer-in-Charge, UNFPA Sub-Regional Office of the Caribbean; Miriam Andrew-Ming, Legal Officer, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs; Dr. Vindhya Persaud, Minister of Human Services and Social Security; HE Mark Berman, High Commissioner of Canada; and Adler Bynoe, UNFPA Guyana Liaison Officer at the launch of the SRHR project.

The project, which will be implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) through the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) and Help and Shelter, is geared towards protecting women and girls in Guyana.

Indigenous women and girls, as well as Venezuelan migrants, will specifically benefit from the project, which will strengthen systems to prevent and respond to instances of gender-based violence.

The project’s aim is to improve access to and utilisation of high-quality sexual and reproductive health information and services, particularly for survivors of gender-based violence in Regions 1, 7, 8, and 9. Persons of diverse gender identities or sexual orientations, persons living with disabilities, and commercial sex workers will also be targeted by the project.

“Simply, we aim to improve access to the services for women, girls and vulnerable populations, essentially those who are most at risk, the vulnerable persons of diverse gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, persons living with disabilities, and sex workers. UNFPA believes that initiatives such as Equal SRHR are imperative to assist Guyana to attain its development goals,” Jewel Quallo-Rosberg, Officer-in-Charge, UNFPA Sub- Regional Office of the Caribbean stated.

The project will follow the internationally recognized principles of Human Rights-based Approach (HRBAP) and Results-Based Management (RBM), while focusing on evidence-based and long-term interventions.

High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana, Mark Berman, said the project is being initiated at a critical and strategic time.

“There are still pockets of the population that are unable to access sexual reproductive health services and support for victims of gender-based violence. And that’s why this project was conceptualised. The focus as has been said will be on increasing the access and quality of these critical health and support services to women and girls,” the High Commissioner said while noting that the lack of access to sexual and reproductive health continues to contribute to gender inequality.

Minister of Human Services, Dr. Vindhya Persaud boasted about Guyana’s improved ranking on the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap report. “It really tells you the significant work that has been done in the shortest period of time across sectors, all contributing to reducing gender inequality. So, we want to ensure that as a Government, we continue to pay the kind of importance as attention to the triggers, the factors and the causes, which will inevitably lead to the widening or the continuation of gender inequality,” the Minister said.

The project aligns with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy that focuses on closing gaps in the SRHR and rights for women and girls globally, UNFPA’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan, as well as Guyana’s National Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy.

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