HROs engaged in furthering gender equality in the workplace

DPI, Guyana, Thursday, April 12, 2018

Human Resource Officers (HROs) and Managers in the various government and other agencies are being trained to serve as focal point persons for Gender Affairs in their workplace.

The training which is being conducted by the Ministry of Social Protection at its office in Cornhill Street is in keeping with the Government’s strategy of achieving gender equality in the workplace.

On April 12 and 13, these persons will be instructed on the concept of gender, gender mainstreaming, the constitutional and legal framework relating to gender issues and gender resource mapping across the agencies.

Manager of the Gender Affairs Bureau, Adel Lilly said “What we will do is to clarify and have a discussion on the concept of gender. We will talk about what is gender, what is sex, what are the other paradigms, we will discuss stereotypes in Guyana and then we will look at gender mainstreaming… this will be very important for planners and persons who work in senior management positions within the different ministries.”

Additionally, practical case studies will also be provided to the trainees, on how gender mainstreaming in the workplace can be implemented.

Director of Social Services Whentworth Tanner pointed out that the training caters to a wealth of knowledge which can be useful in all public organisations.

“This training will assist participants (in realising) the interconnected processes of environmental, social and economic change while clarifying the relevance of social factors and the need for social inclusion. Gender and social inclusion are essential components of the development process and are continually refined whenever men and women engage in the challenge of transformation in communities,” Tanner said.

The result will see newly trained Gender Affairs focal point agents playing a significant role in partnering with the Ministry of Social Protection to finalise and implement the National Gender and Social Inclusion Policy.

The policy aims to mainstream gender issues into all sectors, to eliminate all negative economic, social and cultural practices that impede equality and equity.

It seeks to strengthen links between Government, Non-Governmental Organisations and the private sector in mainstreaming of gender in the respective sectors.

The policy will also 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.

 

By: Delicia Haynes