A message from the Hon. Minister of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. George Norton on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2019

Today, Guyana joins wider world in celebration of the achievements of women from all walks of life. March 8 was designated International Women’s Day as a reminder of women’s struggles for equality, for the right to education, for the right to vote, for the right to work, for the right to fair remuneration and access to support services.

On this occasion, we must applaud the perseverance and accomplishments of all women, particularly our Guyanese mothers, wives, sisters, cousins, friends and colleagues. We must also commit to supporting initiatives that acknowledge and support their rights not only as women, but as human beings.

It has often been said that a feminist is anyone who recognises the equality and full humanity of women.

At a time when International Women’s Day is being celebrated under the theme ‘#BalanceForBetter’, the Departments of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sports stand proudly as promoters of equality at all levels.

This means that we aim to treat our women with the same level of importance and respect as we do our men. It means that via our many programmes, we do all that is necessary to ensure that our girls are provided the same opportunities of self-development and empowerment as our boys. This is a measurable fact in all sectors of our work, including sports.

Today, Guyanese women, and others around the world are not only excelling in traditional fields of employment, but they are successfully forging their way into careers that were once male-dominated and considered unsuitable for women. Many are also pioneering innovative ideas that have gradually been changing the world.

It must be noted that the development of women is critical to human sustainability; so much so, that number five of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals deals specifically with gender equality and the empowerment of girls.

Providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large.

The implementation of programmes and framework to protect the rights of women in the private and public spheres are crucial to eradicating harmful practices targeted at women.

As a country, Guyana has come a far way, but we must increase of efforts, particularly at the family level, to ensure the continued prosperity of our women.

In the meantime, we appreciate and salute the committed role played by Guyanese women in ensuring national development. We thank you, and wish you all the best on International Women’s Day 2019.