–to prioritise well-being of indigenous women, migrants

THE government, through support from the Canadian government, has launched a CAD$2.25 million Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) project, which focuses on the development of indigenous women and migrants.

The project, which is being implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) through the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association and Help and Shelter, was launched during a ceremony held at the Canadian High Commissioner’s Bel Air Gardens residence on Monday.

The official document for the implementation of the project in Guyana was also signed at the event.

The project is being implemented in several other Caribbean states.

Delivering the feature address at the event, Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud said that while Guyana has made significant progress in addressing gender inequality and other issues affecting women, more needs to be done, especially in the hinterland regions.

“This initiative, another partnership which sees international and local partners coming together to address the key issue of sexual and reproductive health and rights, could not have been timelier… I say this because it is concentrated in Regions One, Seven, Eight, and Nine, where we do acknowledge, as the government, we need to amplify the efforts that have been made,” Dr. Persaud said.

Despite the inevitable gaps that exist, and the work to be done, the minister underscored Guyana’s positive standing in the area of gender equality.

She referenced the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Report, which ranked Guyana 35th globally, and second placed among CARICOM countries for gender equality.

Minister Persaud said the government will, however, continue to address the triggers, the factors, and the causes, which will inevitably lead to the widening or the continuation of gender inequality.

“We are very happy to have partners like Canada, and also our sister ministries, as well as many NGOs and implementing partners like UNFPA, and also the overarching spotlight initiative that would help us to ensure that we eradicate some of the major things that contribute towards still having the presence of gender-based violence in our country,” the minister said.

Dr. Persaud added that issues affecting women and girls must be addressed in a wider context, as it affects family life; the morbidity and mortality of children and women.

She related: “When we address sexual and reproductive health in our country, it is imperative that we not only focus on the formal avenues of getting education and awareness out there. But we must also look for creative areas where we can educate our people across the country so that better choices can be made, so that we can achieve what we want to achieve.”

High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana and Suriname, Mark Berman, in his remark also highlighted that accessibility, affordability, sustainability, quality, accountability, and availability of sexual and reproductive health without discrimination continues to be a major issue, hence the launch of the SRHR project in Guyana.
The project, he added, highlights both Canada and Guyana’s commitment to empowering women and girls.

“I’m extremely pleased to be here to launch this witness, and to highlight Canada’s commitment to empowering women and girls, and reflect on our government’s feminist international assistance policy,” the Canadian diplomat said.

He added: “The current project also aligns with the priorities of the Government of Guyana, which has made significant progress in promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights for women and girls over the years.”

The project aims to provide, primarily indigenous women and migrants with the ability to make decisions about their sexual reproductive health by strengthening the systems to prevent issues like gender-based violence (GBV).

“The project will help women and girls to have bodily autonomy, and to make essential decisions about their own bodies. There are still pockets of the population that are unable to access sexual and reproductive health services and support for victims of gender-based violence. And that’s why this project was conceptualised,” Berman said.