THE Caribbean Institute for Women in Leadership (CIWiL) hosted a forum at which female parliamentarians addressed the issue of gender inequality.The unbalanced representation of not only women from other regions, but men as well, was brought to the attention of the international participants at the forum.

Female parliamentarians voiced their concern at the prominence of city representatives, while they alleged that persons from the other regions, especially those from the hinterland and rural areas, were being short-changed.
Expressing disagreement with the system that obtains, parliamentarian Valarie Patterson highlighted the imbalance in representation from persons in the hinterland region, moreso women.

“The bulk of the parliamentarians hail from Region Four, while a small minority is chosen from the other regions,” Patterson lamented.
Other parliamentarians and female ministers present at the forum agreed with her expressions, and posited similar sentiments.

“The other regions have persons of substance, too, and there should be a balance when choosing Members of Parliament,” one minister said.

Parliamentarian Yvonne Pearson, representing Indigenous women, addressed the issue of poor Indigenous representation, not only in the National Assembly, but in public office as well. She said that after 30 years of public office, she was given the privilege of being a Member of Parliament. Pearson said there are only approximately eight female toshaos throughout the entire hinterland.

“Indigenous women need to be more involved in politics and in leadership roles,” Pearson said, adding: “Indigenous women are stigmatised as weak and incapable of certain responsibilities, such as taking up public office; and there should be campaigns to edify and motivate these women to step out of their comfort zones and represent their gender and their communities.”

“We need to meet these women at the grassroots’ level and empower them to liberate themselves from mental slavery and become examples to their ethnicity and gender,” affirmed another parliamentarian.

It was further noted that there is only one female regional chair person, and no female mayor in Guyana. It is, however, hoped that this unfortunate reality would change after the upcoming local government elections.

It was also recommended that more funds be made available for hinterland women’s activism, and this should be budgeted through the Regional Democratic Council. It is generally felt that these recommendations, if implemented, would eradicate historically derived prejudices and stereotypes affecting the progress of minority women. (Vanessa Braithwaite)