–as Guyana celebrates yet another year of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence

THE notion came from Chairperson of the Women and Gender Equality Commission (WGEC) Indranie Chandarpal on Monday as Guyana joined like-minded organisations worldwide in celebrating the annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

“We have to bring the men on board as a partner in what we are doing. We cannot only talk about the perpetrators being men, when we as women understand fully the role of us as women; as mothers, and the way we nurture, and the way we get our boys; socialise our boys, and the way we talk to them,” Chandarpal, a former Minister of Human Services and Social Security said.

She began her presentation, at a function at the Kingston Seawall Esplanade, by observing that despite activism efforts over the years, there has been no reduction in violence against victims, but instead an increase in violence in a number of ways.
“If you look at all those stories about women, you would have seen the ways in which they were murdered; the brutality of it, and the forms in which it has taken. So, I think as women organisations, we have a lot more work to do,” she said, adding: “We in the Commission have recognised that we cannot speak to women only, and we have embarked now on getting our menfolk involved.
“We have to bring the men on board as a partner in what we are doing; we cannot only talk about the perpetrators being men, when we as women understand fully the role of us as women, as mothers, and the way we nurture, and the way we socialise our boys…”
She revealed that by 2025, the Commission is hoping to reach out to at least 100 men in each region, and get them to partner with and work with them to bring the rising numbers down.
The 16 Days of Activism initiative offers a unique opportunity to individuals and organisations to boost momentum to end all forms of gender-based violence in private, public, work, and Online spaces.
It runs from November 25, 2024 to December 10, 2024 around the world. (Faith Greene)