SASOD’s Managing-Director, Joel Simpson, has floated the marrying of the top-down, bottom-up approaches as a vital strategy in achieving social cohesion.At a recent meeting with Social Cohesion Minister, Dr George Norton, Simpson discussed a combination approach which gives a “sandwich effect” to realise social cohesion, a release said.

Simpson, who was accompanied by Social Change Coordinator, Jairo Rodrigues, and Advocacy and Communications Officer Schemel Patrick, explained to Dr Norton that the top-down approach tackles law and policy reform, especially constitutional reform, to protect minority groups from discrimination.

He contended that constitutional reform is paramount to sanction discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The SASOD director then pointed out that the bottom-up approach involves engaging communities and educating citizens to curtail their prejudices.

“SASOD believes that both approaches need to be taken together to achieve social cohesion in Guyana,” an optimistic Simpson said.

The meeting sought to discuss SASOD’s partnership with the Ministry of Social Cohesion and the ministry’s public education work which is pivotal to the prevention of violence and discrimination.

This, the organisation said, is at the heart of its work with sexual and gender minorities.

Patrick elaborated on the need for constitutional and law reform. Sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) are not expressed grounds for discrimination in the Guyana Constitution, the release said.

And Patrick noted that with the absence of specific prohibitions against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and health status within the Prevention of Discrimination Act 1997, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons, as well as people living with HIV and other stigmatised illnesses, are subject to discrimination with impunity in the labour sector.

She urged Minister Norton to commit to amending the Prevention of Discrimination Act 1997 to include “sexual orientation, gender identity and health status,” as grounds for discrimination.

REPEAL DISCRIMINATORY LAWS

In her presentation, she also called for the repeal of laws that criminalise same-sex intimacy and cross-dressing and referred to the recent incident before city Magistrate Dylon Bess, where transgender women were denied access to the courts and thereby justice.

Patrick noted that the existence of the colonial-era law is being misused to violate constitutional rights.

The Ministry of Social Cohesion is currently engaged in delivering “Diversity and Inclusion” training education programmes to various communities across the country, as part of their public education mandate.

SASOD’s Jairo Rodrigues asked that the ministry extend this work, not only in communities, but also in schools.

He noted the importance of education and how information and knowledge can shift attitudes and behaviours.

“Education is a fundamental prerequisite for social cohesion, in order to prevent violence and discrimination against marginalised groups,” Rodrigues stated.

Rodrigues also presented SASOD’s most recent publication titled, “Fact Sheet on Social Cohesion and LGBT Communities” to the minister and his Technical Officer for further reading on community engagement.
In wrapping up the meeting, Simpson raised the issue of Guyana’s voting record at the recent 71st Plenary Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, in a failed attempt to rescind the creation of the UN mandate of Independent Expert on violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
He urged Minister Norton to invite the UN Independent Expert, Professor Vitit Muntabhorn, to Guyana, noting that social cohesion is a fitting portfolio to lead State action to prevent anti-LGBT violence and discrimination.
Minister Norton expressed his delight to have met with the delegation and commitment to working with SASOD in achieving mutual objectives.

The release also noted that the minister committed to exploring a possible visit by the UN Independent Expert, Professor Muntabhorn, and requested that SASOD prepare a draft amendment bill to the Prevention of Discrimination Act 1997 for his ministry to consider.