THE Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) joins all progressive women around the world to celebrate International Women’s Day. Increasingly, this day is used to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their communities and countries. The WPO welcomes the steps taken to improve the living conditions of our women, but recognises that more has to be done to increase women’s participation in the decision-making processes at all levels of our society.

In reflecting upon the barriers that prevent women from achieving their full potential, WPO recognises that domestic and gender based violence is one of the most pervasive form of violence that violates women’s human rights. WPO support the various steps that have been taken to reduce and eradicate violence against women and support the sentiments of the UN Secretary-General, when he said, “…progress for women is progress for all and that there is a serious gap between policy and practice in many countries around the world.”

The WPO, as the foremost women’s political organisation in Guyana has, from the time of its formation, championed the rights of women to have access to education, health care, housing and other social amenities. With this in mind, the WPO would like to acknowledge the progressive steps taken by the PPP/Civic government over the last twenty years to strengthen legislation to protect women and for the establishment of systems to promote and protect women’s rights.
 
WPO would like to urge women to use this occasion to reflect on personal achievements and to put plans in place to charter their future, one that is economically independent and free from all forms of deprivation and subjugation.
 
Happy International Women’s Day!