THE Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Guyana’s largest bargaining agent which represents the interests of thousands of Guyanese women-workers, takes immense pleasure in extending warmest, meaningful International Women’s Day greetings to Guyanese women, wherever they may be. GAWU’s own massive female membership produces for the survival of the national economy at numerous vital levels, ladies labour in the cane fields, in the fisheries, in the offices and forest sector, even as they remain our mothers, wives, sisters, nieces, aunts and grandmothers. GAWU knows first-hand, daily, of women’s practical contribution to nation building.

That is one reason why we call on our men folk to be tolerant and understanding with respect to the status of our girls and women. Away with abuse in any form of our females. Settle differences in a civilised way. Men must walk away if they cannot settle with the ladies. There is no room, no sense or solution in abuse.

The history of International Women’s Day reveals an origin within the Socialist Party of the USA (1909), then an International Women’s Conference, to precede the general meeting of the Socialist Second International in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1910. GAWU is not surprised that Socialists recognized then and wanted to celebrate the role, status and contributions of women. How they must also have lamented the abuse and vulnerability of poor women worldwide also!

Whether a celebration of just love and affection, IWD must not lose sight of its political-social awareness and human rights foundations. So as GAWU celebrates the fact that Guyanese women are free to aspire to any prominence in politics, business, government or civil society; as we celebrate our own heroine Kowsilla, we call on the elected authorities to reveal even improved programmes and facilities to benefit our girls and women.

A Happy IWD to all!