– as women are regaled at Phenomenal Woman 2
As the lights dimmed and faded, the Theatre Guild players, all in white, emerged to honour the work of Guyanese women in this year’s Phenomenal Woman 2, a production comprising songs, dances and poetry recitals aimed at acknowledging and appreciating the struggles and achievements of women. This is the second such activity held to celebrate International Women’s Day and is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the Theatre Guild of Guyana.
The T.G. Playhouse was filled to capacity last Friday evening, and the show was appreciated by all, both young and old.
They were serenaded with songs such as ‘Die With My Dignity’ by Singing Sandra, ‘She’s Royal’ by Taurus Riley, ‘I’m Every Woman’ by Chaka Khan, and Roll It by Allison Hinds.
Some of the poems included ‘Phenomenal Woman’ and ‘Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou, and ‘Lady Hope’ by Lloyda Garrett.
The cast members included Sonia Yarde, Lloyda Garrett, Marcelle John, Lisa Punch, Sheron Taylor, Jamal La Rose, Keon Heywood, Nia Allen, Sabina Kazim, Jovinski Thorne and Kimberly Fernandes.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Jennifer Webster, in remarks at the show, emphasised the importance of reflecting on the struggles of women, especially in Guyana, where, over the past years, much has been done in the area of gender equity and empowerment.
“Our country has a progressive history dating back to the struggles of exploitation in the colonial era, and this continues today for women’s equality and rights on the legislative, political, social and economic front,” she said.
Minister Webster acknowledged that the results of the many efforts regarding women’s issues are evident today; however, much still needs to be done to empower young girls. She added that government remains committed to bridging the gaps wherever they exist, and to advance women’s equality in all areas of society.
Minister Webster explained that empowering young girls ensures that future generations of women are equipped to face and overcome challenges.
“Our nation’s girls are literally the future, a lifeline of our communities… regrettably this reality is not always recognised,” she said.
She noted that girls should be cherished and made aware of the opportunities available to them.
United Nations Resident Representative in Guyana, Khadija Musa, who also spoke at the show, stated that it has been proven time and time again that investment in women and girls is key to achieving all developmental goals, including meeting the targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The UN’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Empowering Women: End Hunger and Poverty”.
Musa explained that it is the hard work of these women that makes connecting girls to inspiring futures possible. In this regard, she saluted women who do back-breaking work.
“Women constitute a quarter of the world’s population; their contributions are vital to the well-being of families, communities and societies,” Musa said.
She emphasised that Guyana is one of the countries that has made commendable progress with regard to meeting the MDGs and in gender equality. Further, in the Caribbean the living conditions for rural women are still characterised by high levels of poverty and less access to social services, housing and health services; thus people must not lose sight of the goals to empower women and implement policies which will ensure their participation in all aspects of development.
Following the artistic presentations, the audience indulged in a panel discussion, moderated by Donna Short-Gill. The panelists were Dr. Vidhya Persaud, Kevin Massiah (Counsellor – Help and Shelter), Sharon Austin (Ministry of Amerindian Affairs), and Attorney Vadushi Persaud.