GUYANA is moving forward at a rapid pace and women must not only be part of that progress, but must also be positioned to benefit from the opportunities being created.
The 2026 Mid-Year Report shows that investments in women are being made in practical areas such as education, skills training, entrepreneurship, home ownership and protection from gender-based violence. These are important because empowering women cannot simply be a talking point. It must translate into opportunities that allow women to earn, own, build and create better lives for themselves and their families.
During the first half of 2026, 3,625 women were awarded scholarships through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), while another 711 women received skills training through the Women Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) and the Board of Industrial Training.
What stands out is the type of training being offered. Women are entering areas such as auto-electrical work, electrical installation, heavy-duty equipment operation, information technology and agro-processing. As Guyana expands its infrastructure and economy, women must have a place in these industries and access to the jobs that come with that growth.
Entrepreneurship is another area where progress is being recorded. The report states that 1,930 women benefited from entrepreneurial training, while 79 received assistance to register new businesses and 76 received business start-up kits. Another 51 women benefited from 17 shade houses, while the We Lift initiative created opportunities for 450 women entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses, network and reach wider markets.
Home ownership is equally important. Some 1,547 women received house lots during the first half of 2026, representing nearly half of all recipients. For women, particularly those building families, owning property provides more than somewhere to live. It provides security and an asset that can create generational wealth.
Progress must also mean creating environments where women are treated fairly. More than 1,700 public servants and community leaders received sensitisation in gender mainstreaming and social inclusion, while another 500 were targeted. The National Gender Equality and Empowerment Seal also promotes equal pay, career advancement, inclusive workplace policies and workplaces free from harassment and discrimination.
The report also recognises that women cannot truly advance without protection and support. Some 2,400 people participated in gender-based and domestic violence sensitisation sessions, 1,401 received legal aid, 347 people with domestic-violence matters benefited from legal pro-bono support, and 45 survivors received shelter and other assistance.
These numbers show progress, but the work cannot stop at programmes and statistics. The real measure will be how many women turn these opportunities into sustainable careers, successful businesses, home ownership and financial independence.
Women are moving forward and as Guyana develops, that progress must continue with them at the centre of the opportunities being created.