THE Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO), an arm of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), will, today, begin one year of activities to mark its 60th Jubilee celebration with a gala reflection ceremony at the National Cultural Centre (NCC).

Boasting about 5,000 members across the ten Administrative Regions of Guyana, President of the organisation, Mrs. Indra Chandarpal said, over the past six decades, the grouping has achieved much to celebrate.
She met with media operatives earlier this week, at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre, High Street, Kingston, also in Georgetown, where she outlined the plan to commemorate the WPO milestone.
According to Chandarpal, key among the achievements of the grouping is their pioneering role in the empowerment of women, particularly on the political and educational fronts.
The WPO was formed shortly after the inception of the PPP and she said an important principle of that political party was to focus on the empowerment of women in society and have them play a participatory role in nation building.
She said, at that time, some 85 percent of the womenfolk countrywide were illiterate and had been boxed into a stereotype of being inferior.

Worked tirelessly
Chandarpal said that was a reality which the WPO worked tirelessly, over the years, to confront and said the level of participation and contribution by women in society today is testimony to the efforts of the group over the years.
General Secretary, Ms. Sheila Veerasammy said, today, the WPO will be looking to reflect on the contributions of its leaders over the years, utilising home grown talent and highlighting what they have achieved through song, dance, poetry and other forms of cultural presentations.
This is the first time the WPO will be hosting an event of such magnitude and a first for them using the NCC.
The group will also be celebrating several of the current members, some of whom have been holding membership cards for as many as 45 years.
Chandarpal said the work of the WPO with women at the grassroots level was critical to its survival and growth over the years.
She said, when the PPP was in Opposition, the WPO played a significant part in its lobbying efforts against the previous Administration and now that the latter is in power this has not changed.
Chandarpal said the WPO continues to lobby for women’s rights in society and was very crucial in having the Administration put in place a policy on domestic violence and bringing that issue to the fore and having it dealt with at the legislative level.
The WPO was officially inaugurated on May 27, 1957, by some women, among whom were former President, the late Janet Jagan, Jane Phillips-Gay and Jessica Huntley.
It was the first organisation formed in Guyana to represent the political, economic and social well-being of women and provide leadership for their involvement in the transformation of society