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Message from the PPP
THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) salutes our women on the occasion of International Women’s Day. This day is a good time to reflect how far we have advanced as a country in terms of empowering our women to take their rightful place in society.
Today we have women who have attained high levels of recognition in a variety of professions which in the past were dominated by men. These included engineering, medicine, law and the teaching and nursing professions, the latter two now dominated by women.
Females now outnumber men by a significant margin at the University of Guyana and other tertiary institutions, an indication how far we have advanced in terms of gender equality and equality of opportunity for our women.
At the legislative level much progress has been made in terms of addressing the burning issue of domestic abuse and sexual harassment. The establishment of the National Commission of Women has further placed the issue of women on the front burner of our national agenda.
As we observe yet another International Women’s Day, let us pay tribute to all those women who have contributed to the economic, social, political and cultural development of this beautiful country of ours.
Let us spare a thought for our former President Mrs. Janet Jagan who passed away on March 28. Guyana owes her a debt of gratitude for the sterling contribution she has made in raising the political awareness of women in Guyana.
The PPP is proud of our women who continue to be the driving force behind our economic and social progress.
Long live our women!
Message from Guyana Teachers’ Union
Womens’ Advisory Committee
International Women’s Day is observed, today, around the world.
Looking back on the past struggles and accomplishments, it is on this day women are recognised for their outstanding achievements without regard to gender, ethnicity, linguistics, cultural and economic background or political affiliation.
The Guyana Teachers’ Union, Women’s Advisory Committee joins with agencies and organisations around the world to celebrate International Women’s Day.
As we embrace the theme: ‘Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture it!’, the Women’s Advisory Committee calls upon every woman to celebrate their acts of courage and determination they have modelled to achieve attainable heights.
Let us use this year’s theme to build the morals of other women and girls in our work environment and communities to make choices such as participating in policy making, trade unionism, acquiring an education, having an income and living in a society free from violence and discrimination.
As women we need to close those gaps and uphold women’s achievements, recognise challenges, embrace each other and focus our attention on women’s right and gender equality through mobilization.
Long live the industrious women in Guyana and around the world! We salute you!
Message from FITUG
ON the occasion of International Women’s Day 2015, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) salutes the women of the Republic of Guyana – for their sterling contributions as Mothers of the Nation and just for their needed womanhood as equal partners to their menfolk.
Put in its most simplistic terms – can we imagine a world without women? Without the determination, grit and charm of the female gender? What kind of world will that be? The Chinese proclaim that “Women hold up half of the sky”. FITUG agreed with the symbolism, for besides mothering the planet, they then nurture the young into becoming the thinkers, planners, workers and defenders of the world.
FITUG now pays tribute to our own members, especially our females. They labour in field, factory and office. They are producers and actors in agriculture, clerical work, marine foods, the timber industry and vital economic sectors of Guyana. FITUG’s affiliates will spare no efforts to see that our womenfolk get the social and economic justice they deserve.
We, however, must record our concern over the too frequently reported incidence of abuse of our women – both mental and physical. Using the law enforcement and prosecution is one level of approach to halting this human menace against our wives, mothers and sisters. FITUG, however, suggests that there must be structured programmes of responsible partnering and parenting directed at our menfolk – both young and matured. Let our young men in town and village learn how to show respect for females from their youth. Show them examples and role-models to emulate. Let International Women’s Day mean something to men too!
As National and Regional elections approaches us in May, FITUG urges Guyana’s women to consider and examine the choices before them. As you ladies prepare to vote do not be fooled by empty rhetoric. Continue your education. Create self-employment opportunities. Choose your government as you would choose your life’s partner. They are both crucial to your future. FITUG wishes Guyana’s ladies a happy and thoughtful International Women’s Day.
Message from the AFC
ALL around the world, International Women’s Day provides the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the nation’s women while calling for greater equality of payment for services and employment, freedom from discrimination, and equal opportunities for educational and social growth.
The Women For Change (WFC) arm of the Alliance For Change (AFC) salutes the intrepid women of Guyana who have succeeded in breaking through quite a number of barriers in our previously male-dominated society. The WFC salutes all Guyanese female Chief Executive Officers, General Managers, Financial Officers, Operations Managers, and the multitude of business owners and high functioning managers in the private and public sectors. Our pride resides as well in the women in the mining, agriculture, services, manufacturing, hospitality, law, health and the numerous political, social and economic sectors of life and home making in our multifaceted Guyanese society.
Message from GAWU
THE Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) greets the women of the world, and more importantly of our country, on this International Women’s Day (March 8, 2015). We also wish to express our support for the United Nations theme, this year, ‘Make it Happen’. Under this theme whilst recognising the advances made by women since the Beijing Conference, the U.N. is also focusing on other issues relevant to women’s questions. Among these are efforts to bring an end to violence which affects 1 in 3 women worldwide and increasing the global number of female parliamentarians from the current 22 per cent. Additionally, GAWU takes the opportunity to dedicate this day to strengthening the ties of solidarity with working women in the worldwide struggle against their double exploitation as both workers and women. We can neither forget the millions who are the victims of imperialist wars, who are burdened by oppression, and who suffer due to poverty.
In our troubled times, we need to recall the revolutionary origins of this day. This day, IWD, was begun in 1910 at an “international congress of socialist women”, and was inspired by reports of a strike and protest march of American women textile workers in 1908. The Russian trade unionist and revolutionary, Alexandra Kollontai on this question said: “Women workers should dedicate themselves to a common cause as workers while outlining and putting forward those specific needs and demands that affected them as ‘women, housewives and mothers’.”
And the German socialist, Clara Zetkin, told the conference that “the liberation struggle of the working class woman cannot be…a struggle against the men of her own class. The end goal of her struggle is not free competition against men, but bringing about the political rule of the working class.”
That call is just as relevant more than 100 years later. Women workers throughout the world continue to suffer exploitation both at work and at home. At work, women are still paid lower wages, perform the most menial jobs and are less likely to be promoted. At home, violence and sexual abuse of women and girls is rising. Women also bear a disproportionate brunt of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, in both the numbers affected and the burden of caring for family members.
On International Women’s Day we renew our commitment to organize collectively until all of us and more so our women are free from oppressions and discrimination.
We are very confident that International Women’s Day can be an occasion to unite and advance our struggles, make strong links and develop strong solidarity in order to ensure more achievements for our womenfolk, nationally and worldwide and as the U.N. theme says, to ‘Make it Happen’.
Message from GTUC Women’s Advisory Council
THE Women’s Advisory Council of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) recognises the contributions made to Guyana’s development and the role of women in this regard. We recognise that despite their myriad contributions in home, office, field and factory and in our political sphere that they remain among the unsung.
Today we honour their contributions and we credit them with being the backbone of development. This year’s theme ‘Make it happen’ focuses our attention on the fact that there is far more to be achieved and far more ability that remains untapped.
We therefore have to release the barriers that limit the potentials and achievements of our women and girls. We must do this in every sphere of life and human endeavour, be it economic, cultural, social and political. We must ensure equal pay. We must ensure equal opportunity and equal gains.
This concept of equality of our women and girls must not be limited to the work environment. It must start as a process of socialisation from birth, so that in transitioning to adulthood the young girl would know and accept a role in society that is not limited by anyone, system or structures. We must ‘Make it happen’.
There is no longer a place in society for women to accept any role where they cannot freely function, to do and not be recognised, or to be seen and not heard. It is for society, for all of us to ‘Make it happen’ through education, socialisation, laws and public policy.
Happy Women’s Day!
Message from Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Ambassador Irwin LaRocque
Today, I join with the global community to salute women and girls everywhere, particularly those of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). It is well known that it is the women of our Community who have been the bedrock of society and have been agents of change within our societies. In so doing, they have been steadfast in their determination to improve their economic, social, political, cultural and legal status.
This year’s theme ‘Empower Women – Empowering Humanity’ is one which is an aspiration for many, if not all of us. For the realities sometimes blur the vision of a world where each woman and girl can be empowered to exercise her choices, such as participating in politics, getting an education, having an income and living in societies free from violence and discrimination.
We are now twenty years on from that important milestone, the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Our governments were among the 189 that signed that historic document which put forward an agenda for realising, among other things, the achievement of women’s equality. Yet, today, that goal remains elusive.
I applaud the Region’s progress as evidenced by new legislation with respect to the rights of women and children; increased representation of women in government and leadership; attainment of higher levels of education; improved access to health care and reduction in child mortality. However, more action needs to be taken with respect to gender equality in governance; to end wage discrimination; and to stop the continuing gender-based violence that has an impact, not only on the lives of women and girls, but also their families and communities. Statistics from country reports indicate a troubling level of sexual abuse and human trafficking of the girl child while women continue to be the victims of domestic abuse.
I reiterate our commitment to the proposed Goal 5 of the UN Framework for Sustainable Development: ‘Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”; and to the actions which include “[eliminating] all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation”. I wish to acknowledge the role of UN Women in assisting the Community to engage fully in the discussions on these issues at the global, regional and national levels with respect to, in particular, the Post 2015 Development Agenda and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Agenda.
On this occasion of International Women’s Day 2015, I join the voices across the Region in celebrating our women and girls, those whom we have formally recognized and those many unsung heroines who continue to develop our Caribbean Community. Let us renew our commitment and energy as we map out the path for empowering the women in our Region as an essential ingredient for sustainable development and a vital element in building a Community for All.
Message from GUYWID
Guyanese Women in Development (GUYWID) salutes Guyanese women and girls as the world commemorates International Women’s Day on 8 March 2015. It is an opportune time to recognise the achievements of women and their increasing roles in all spheres of the development process of our children, families, communities, society, country and the world.
On this occasion, year after year, there have been resounding calls for collective, continuous and strengthened actions to promote women rights and gender equality, especially in those areas where women are underprivileged.
GUYWID expresses appreciation for the policies, legislations and programmes that the Government of Guyana has put in place to empower women and recognises the efforts of all advocates in pursuing actions to improve the lives of our women. Sincere gratitude goes out to all those men and women who have relentlessly struggled for the rights of women and who have helped to accelerate the accomplishments and acknowledgement of women in our society.
In support of the initiatives for women rights and gender equality undertaken by the Government of Guyana, local NGOs, and all advocates, Guyanese Women in Development (GUYWID) pledges its commitment to ‘Make it Happen’ for women and girls in Guyana and calls on all advocates to ‘Make it Happen’ for the women rights and gender equality in Guyana.
GUYWID also calls on women and girls to utilise the opportunities presented to them for their own empowerment and gender equality, and also encourage kin and friends to pursue available opportunities.
GUYWID is a Non-Governmental Organisation, established in 1994, with the mandate to foster and coordinate women’s involvement in the development process in Guyana. One of its main objectives is to assist women to realise their full potential and self-worth, build self-confidence and become self-reliant.
