THE Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has extended Happy Mothers’ Day greetings to all mothers in Guyana, and the world over, on the day set aside to honour and celebrate motherhood, and has urged an end to violence against women and girls.

“It must be noted that mothers are selfless and loving humans, who, over time, have sacrificed many of their desires for that of their children and many others, towards the development, achievement and/or improvement of livelihoods within communities, countries and the world,” said the GPSU in a press release.

It said that even though mothers were celebrated in many parts of the world in different ways, modern day Mothers’ Day was first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Maria Jarvis of the USA celebrated her mother, a peace activist who cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the Civil War. She established Mothers’ Day Work Clubs to address public health issues,” the release said.

“Throughout history, and in many societies and cultures today, a mother is seen as a pillar of strength and an authority who always extends a helping hand, a listening ear and finds ways and means to ensure that no one is left out or left behind. Motherhood is defined by the individual qualities and practices each woman brings to her role as a mother,” said the GPSU.

It noted that the current realities in these unprecedented times as families are forced to hunker down, means mothers are assuming even more roles of fulltime teachers, tutors, playmates, workout instructors, counsellors and maybe more, and that this has put many mothers in an emotionally distressing state.

“Many households are lacking resources and an adequate environment to continue providing for their family’s needs and requirements at this time. Women and girls may be at higher risk of violence and other different forms of domestic abuse caused by other members of the family, due to confined environments at home for a prolonged period of time, restrictions of movement, and heightened stress and tensions in the household”,
the release said.

The union noted that, as mothers continue to transform and transition themselves into these new roles, everyone in the home should recognize that, they too, can assume more responsibility to ease the burden and alleviate some of the stress. “The GPSU, on this Mothers’ Day, wishes to discourage acts of domestic and other forms of violence/abuse against women and is in support of all positive action to protect the health and safety of all women, at all times,” said the release.