MARCH 8 is designated International Women’s Day. The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is ‘Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.’ The day is celebrated every year on March 8 to recognise the social, economic, cultural and political contributions of women and to raise awareness on the question of women’s equality.

The day was observed for the first time in 1911. On March 19, 1911, Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland recognised International Women’s Day for the first time. Ever since then, March 8 has been recognised as International Women’s Day which has now been embraced by most countries in the world.

Women in Guyana have come a long way and even though there are still a number of challenges in terms of gender equity and empowerment, there can be no doubt that women in Guyana are playing a much greater role in all facets of national life, including at the leadership and governance levels.

Guyana is one of the few countries in the Caribbean which had a female Head of State in the person of Mrs Janet Jagan who was a founding member of the People’s Progressive Party and played a prominent role in the political life of Guyana. Several other women today serve in leadership positions, including Cabinet ministers and heads of government departments and agencies. Indeed, Guyana is one of the few countries where it is mandatory for women to make up one-third of the list of candidates for national and regional elections.

Only recently, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Women Empowerment, Leading, Innovating, Flourishing Together “WE LIFT” 2 Expo at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, saw the participation of over 150 businesses. The conference was aimed at recognising the innovation and accomplishments of women and girls as part of the observance of International Women’s Day. The level of participation this year was much larger and according to Minister of Human Services and Social Security, the event had surpassed expectations.

And no less significant was the International Women’s Day march organised by First Lady Arya Ali, which saw the participation of a large number of women to focus attention on the invaluable contributions of women and girls not only in Guyana, but in the world as a whole. The march, held under the theme, “Break the Bias,” saw hundreds of women from all walks of life participating in what could be described as a landmark activity, the likes of which was not seen before.

According to First Lady Ali who addressed the gathering, there was a great need for initiatives to support women and their rights and for women to be equipped with the necessary tools to take advantage of opportunities in the country’s massive transformation.

“With the unpresented growth and rapid transformation, it is incumbent upon us — particularly leaders and officials — to ensure that women and girls are not excluded from these exciting opportunities that are life-changing… our women and girls require the tools that are necessary to ensure that they are able to fully participate in every sector of our economy and every sphere of life. They must be educated, trained, mentored, financed and supported in every possible way to guarantee their advancement.”

United States Ambassador Sarah Ann Lynch, who also participated in the march, underscored the importance for women to be at the decision-making table. According to the envoy, “The experience and perspectives of women are equally important to that of men and our countries all deserve to benefit from the leadership of women and their innovative spark women add to prosperity.” Similar sentiments were expressed by other participants, who included British High Commissioner Jane Miller and China’s Ambassador, Guo Haiyen.

The sad reality is that even though women comprise roughly half of the world’s population, a significant number of women in some parts of the world, for cultural and political reasons, are denied opportunities to develop to the full limit of their potential, or to participate in the governance processes of their respective societies. And this, despite the fact that women are known to be as good — if not better– in almost every aspect of leadership and managerial competencies as that of their male counterparts.

Thankfully, the glass ceiling is now broken in several parts of the world and women are no longer seen as ‘inferior’ to men. They may be seen as the fairer sex, but by no means the weaker sex. Such stereotypes of “a women’s [sic] place being at the home” no longer holds sway as women are taking their rightful place as an equal partner in the exciting field of national development.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali had lauded the contribution of women to a strong family which he stated is necessary for stable families. According to the President, not only are women designed stronger than men but that beyond that strength, they exhibit an inner soul that is transformational and essential in any society.

As we observe yet another International Women’s Day, it is important that as a society we honour our women for their contributions to the economic, social and cultural development of Guyana.