Celebrating Women

─ IWD 2019 Concert and Expo

DPI, Guyana, Sunday, March 10, 2019

Several organisations displayed their products and services while spreading messages of women empowerment as the International Women’s Day Concert and Expo opened at the Everest Cricket Ground on Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown.

Among them were the CARICOM Secretariat, the United Nations, Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, High Commission of Canada, European Union, High Commission of India, Women Empowering Women, the Guyana Office for Investment and the Ministry of Social Protection, among others.

Women of all ages not only feasted their eyes on the products displayed but also participated in a one-hour Zumba exercise class and were exposed to information on Women and Reproductive Health, Entrepreneurship, Academic Programmes, among other meaningful information to benefit women’s growth.

Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, in her address, said while the event highlighted the daily challenges women face, it also focused on the solutions and programmes available to address those issues and the many opportunities available to women.

“It’s a good thing for us to stop and pause and think about the challenges we have and how we can do better. I think in Guyana, we need to depend more on our women to take us out of this crisis. Women have an ability to discard the baggage from the past and support each other,” Minister Hughes said.

She further stated that every year, the celebration of women in Guyana will be bigger and better, with effective sensitisation to eliminate challenges they face.

Speaking to the Department of Public Information (DPI), Commissioner of the Women and Gender Equality Commission, Nicole Cole said works are in the pipeline to enforce legislation that will represent women in all types of matters.

“We are calling for ongoing specialized training on the sexual offences act and the domestic violence act for judges, magistrates, police officers and others involved in the Criminal Justice System. On March 5, there was the launch of the Forensic Psychology training for the Judiciary, that launch was done in collaboration of the University of Guyana Health Science and UNICEF because Forensic Psychology is an area, we need persons to be skilled in,” Cole, said.

British High Commissioner, Greg Quinn, said the High Commission will work to help enhance and promote events that will boost women empowerment.

“Everybody who inhabits this country and works in this country should be advocates for equal rights and gender equality. My sister and mom brought me up and they fought through the system in the United Kingdom to pursue development. Everyone in Guyana needs to be committed and active to help promote equality and not accept abuse of all kind.”

The British High Commissioner noted that the event provided the opportunity to not just sensitise the public on how the commission functions, but to give Guyanese partners a chance to grow and educate others.

Later in the afternoon, Trinidadian Artiste Nailah Blackman and Guyana’s very own Poonam Singh and Calvin Burnett entertained the gathering.

Ayana George.

Images: Anil Seelall.

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