‘Guyanese women will not be left behind’ − Min. Teixeira

As Guyana joined the rest of the world in observance of International Women’s Day (IWD) on Wednesday, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, reminded that Guyanese women continue to lead the efforts to achieve gender equality.

The minister, who is a political trailblazer, was at the time addressing those in attendance at the IWD dinner hosted on the lawns of State House.

She said women have been at the forefront of many endeavors, reminding that Guyana was one of the first countries to give women the right to vote, and also the first country to have boasted the first female deputy speaker, the late Janet Jagan.

“We must never let anybody put us down, in what we have achieved as women. Women in this country have achieved many firsts over the decades.”

The minister chronicled how far the country has come, as we inch closer to achieving gender equality, adding that women continue to perform exceptionally in many previously male-dominated fields, such as healthcare and engineering.

“We have struggled hard to get to where we are, and we are not going backwards, ever. Always, we will go forward. We will contribute to our families and our societies, and our nation’s development.”

In education, the minister noted that women account for 60 per cent of Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarship holders.

Moreover, as the world gears up to adjust to and combat climate change, Minister Teixeira stressed that women play a crucial role in this global effort.

“The older generation of women will go down in history as the ones who helped and fostered and supported and encouraged the next generation. And the young generation will do that for the next generation, so we build strong societies, nations and the world,”