Guyana’s progress on gender equality hailed

Guyana has earned favourable reviews by the United Nations and developed countries around the world for its work in the area of advocating gender equality among its citizenry.

The nation has been ranked high among the first 20 countries to attain positive feedback from international and long-established organisations, fighting feverishly for gender equality. This is according to Women and Gender Equality Commission (WGEC) Chairperson Indra Chandarpal.
She recalled her time as human services and social security minister, and pointed out that when Guyana had to present its report at the fourth world congress on gender equality, it was quite a difficult task.

Chandarpal said the country has seen a drastic improvement in this regard.

“The Women and Gender Equality Commission is always promoting gender in that sense, and people got to understand that we are talking about access to opportunity, that irrespective of colour, creed, and gender – whoever you are – opportunity must be made available to you and not because you are a woman, you must not get equal pay or you should not get a job or make less money than a man. Women should not be treated in no way different from their male colleagues,” she insisted.

She said gender equality is alive in Guyana, but admitted that there are instances where some sections of society fall short in this regard. However, efforts are in train to make sure gender inequality is rooted out and exposed at all costs.

An empowered woman can do wonders

Chandarpal said persons must be aware that an empowered woman can do wonders for a developing economy in various capacities.

In Guyana, there have been improvements in maternal health, life expectancy and access to quality healthcare, as gender specific services are available to women.
She pointed out that the historical socioeconomic disparity between men and women, which is necessary for the advancement of inequality, has evolved.

She reiterated that people must overcome the relics of the past to begin seeing women as equal to men, since tradition holds true and the challenge is for men to find newly-defined relationships in which both genders can exist.

Recognising that there have been performance gaps in its work, the WGEC has come up with a five-year strategic plan, which it hopes would chart a course for it to monitor and protect the human rights of women and guard against discrimination.