Guyana committed to greater coordination, policy coherence across sectors to promote gender equality, women and girl empowerment- Minister Ally tells UN

Ministry of Social Protection, Press Release – Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally assured the United Nations (UN) that the government is committed to greater coordination and policy coherence across the sectors, to ensure that social protection, public services and infrastructure policies complement each other for promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

The Minister was at the time addressing the 63^rd Session on the Commission on the Status of Women at the UN headquarters in New York. Minister Ally posited that this forum provides the opportunity to assess the progress made in keeping with the national priorities, examine the challenges faced and seek measures to overcome these challenges to achieve gender parity.

Minister Ally told the audience that promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women in all spheres of life remains a national priority of the government Guyana. Therefore, Guyana reaffirms its commitment to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and support for the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.

She added that cognizant that social protection systems, public services and sustainable infrastructure are at the heart of achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Guyana has initiated numerous programmes and policies.

One pertinent example, highlighted by Minister Ally, is the development of a National Gender and Social Inclusion Policy, which aims at mainstreaming gender issues into all sectors in order to eliminate all negative economic, social and cultural practices that impede equality and equity.

“It will also strengthen links between government, Non- Governmental Organisations, and the private sector in mainstreaming of gender, and will develop, maintain and provide gender sensitive information and gender disaggregated data for use in planning and project implementation at all levels and in all sectors,” Minister Ally noted.

The minister added that Guyana continues to ensure the provision of programmes and services to address and prevent all forms of violence against women and girls, through nationwide awareness programmes, essential services, shelters for victims of trafficking and domestic and sexual violence.

Further, the Social Protection Minister highlighted that women can now easily access micro financing projects to start small income generating activities to sufficiently sustain themselves and families. Social assistance in the form of monthly cash payments is given to women who are disabled, in need of health care as well as to women and children living in extreme poverty.

She added that Guyana has made significant strides in other sectors, such as education, public health, housing, and public infrastructure.

“There has been the implementation of the policy on the reintegration of teenage mothers, maternity waiting homes have been established to accommodate pregnant women and their families from rural locations during pre and post-delivery, significant investments continue in infrastructure to improve connectivity between the hinterland and coastland and the adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme, which will see the construction of core houses for single family households and families living in uninhabitable homes has commenced,” Minister Ally said.

The minister added that Guyana has a lot more ongoing major projects which will soon be rolled out which will also transform the country’s landscape. These projects will also create employment for many women and young girls, while at the same time prepare the girls to be ready for the changing nature of work in an increasingly digital era.

She concluded that Guyana welcomes continued international cooperation to enhance its social protection system for every woman and girl.

–ENDS–