– Young parliamentarians urged to be ‘future leaders,’ as second sitting of ‘National Assembly of Girls’ got underway

IN a powerful address at the second sitting of the National Assembly of Girls, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, made a sounding charge to scores of young women to ‘let their voices be heard,” and be future leaders.

“As you sit here and engage in thoughtful and fruitful discussions, I have no doubt that, overall, our country and our parliament will benefit from your recommendations, your solutions, and your voices as part of a rich discussion and a continuation of what was started last year when the National Assembly of Girls was convened,” Minister Persaud said.

Praising the young women for their early political engagement, Minister Persaud expressed optimism that the National Assembly of Girls will craft future leaders.
“We are in a time where the world does not have many of us; there are 28 female leaders globally…we are at a time where, globally, we have just under 30 per cent of parliamentarians, and we are at a time when speakers have not even touched 25 per cent.”

Noting that the aim is to transform the world through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Minister urged the young women and the wider population to not only bring their physical presence to the proverbial ‘table’ but to also share their ideas.

“A feminine perspective that takes into consideration all of the things that, through our SDGs, we are trying to achieve. SDG five speaks of gender equality… Here in Guyana’s parliament, we have over 34 per cent females in the National Assembly.”

In addition, Minister Persaud emphasised that Guyana, governed by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government (PPP/C), has always been and will continue to be an inclusive nation. She asserted that in order to enable women from all walks of life to achieve their goals, the government is dedicated to supporting them in their respective fields.

She urged the young women to exploit programmes such as the GOAL Scholarship – an online academic programme – and other similar initiatives that provide training opportunities.
Meanwhile, the speaker of the National Assembly for Girls, Honourable Maya Saunders, shared that it is her hope that the special sitting is marked by collaboration, resilience, and a shared commitment to build a future in which every girl and woman in Guyana can thrive.

She urged all to rise to the occasion in unity and shape a legacy that inspires generations to come.
“As representatives of the young women of this nation, we bear the responsibility of being advocates for equality, justice, and empowerment. Let us seize this opportunity to address pressing issues that are faced within our community, recognising the interconnectedness of our struggles and the potential for collective action to bring about positive change.”

She added: “Let our decisions be guided by a commitment to the wellbeing of our fellow Guyanese citizens and the vision for Guyana that uplifts and empowers all of its people.”

The Parliament of Guyana convened its second sitting of the National Assembly of Girls in honour of International Women’s Day 2024. This year, International Women’s Day – March 8th is being celebrated under the theme, “Invest in women: Accelerate progress.”

In order to hasten the transition to gender equality, the theme highlights how important it is to invest in women’s leadership, healthcare, education, and economic empowerment.

The British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller; Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues; members of the Diplomatic Corps, and several female members of Parliament were all present at the second session of the National Assembly for Girls.