Message from Chair of the Presidential Commission on the Prevention and Control of NCDs
–#CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE
–INTEGRATE FORMALLY THE ARYA ALI PERIOD CARE PACKAGE JUSTICE INITIATIVE IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH PACKAGE
As I send this International Women Day 2021 message, I highlight the earlier call by Guyana’s First Lady, Mrs. Arya Ali, for a National Period Care Package Program. In 2008, I had called for such a program at the global level when I served as President of the World Health Assembly. Guyana, under Minister Gail Teixeira had started to procure a Period Care Package for use in our Ante-Natal Program, but it was only on a small scale. In 2001, when I was Minister of health, we included the National Period Care Package in Guyana’s Essential Medicine and Medical Supply List. We never achieved the goal and somewhere along the line, the Period Care Package disappeared from the National Essential Medicine and Medical Supply List. The First Lady’s call is a public health imperative and a justice imperative. I urge that a National Period Care Program, which is part of the public health essential package of services in the health sector, immediately include the First Lady’s plea for a Period Care Package to be distributed by our public health centers in all ten regions. Let us call the program the Arya Ali Period Care Justice Program. Let us not wait until IWD 2022. Let us do so today.
Tomorrow, March 8, our Guyanese sisters and brothers will join our sisters and brothers around the world to observe International Women’s Day (IWD). In my personal capacity, me and my family have joined the #CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE Movement. In my capacity as Chair of the Presidential Commission on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, I want to commit the support of the Commission and pledge our support as we join the #CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE Movement in Guyana and around the world. As part of our #CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE pledge, let us all become champions for the ARYA ALI PERIOD CARE PACKAGE as part of Guyana’s publicly guaranteed package of essential health services.
In Guyana and around the world, the pursuit for genuine equality can never be achieved unless women and girls are treated as equal to men and boys. We have made much progress around the world. No one can deny the progress Guyana has made in its efforts to create a just and equal society, where women and girls are treated equal to boys and men. But in Guyana and around the world, we have ways to go.
We join our sisters and brothers around the world in celebrating the successes that have emerged because of the efforts of women around the world. Women and girls live in societies today that are more likely to respond to the call for equality and justice because of the tremendous efforts women have made in the decades that have gone before. In spite of the struggles and the successes that have followed, in spite of the national, regional and international laws and agreements, there are still deficits in recognizing basic human rights for women and girls.
International Women Day 2021 highlights progress towards women in leadership roles. Guyana is one country where we made provisions in our laws to guarantee women are given a place in leadership. Presently, more than 30% of the MPs are women. Today almost one-third of the Cabinet are women. We achieved such leadership role since 2006. But we have remained at the present level. No further improvement has resulted after constitutional arrangements ensured that, at least, 33% of the candidates in national and regional elections are women. We must now ensure that the requirements that, at least 33% of women candidates are in the lists of candidates for elections, that in choosing MPs and Councilors, the 33% representation is attained. But the time has come for further improvement in the numbers of women in leadership at the levels of cabinet, Parliament, RDC Councils etc. At the global level. women represents 22% of the Heads of State around the world. The average for parliamentarians around the world is only 24.9%, almost 10% lower than in Guyana.
As we observe IWD 2021, violence against women and girls (VAW), including sexual abuse and violence, continues unabated around the world. In Guyana, VAW is a sore in our society, it is a shame we carry, it is a stain on our dignity and integrity. Our pursuit for freedom, independence and justice will never be over as long as VAW remains a measurable challenge in our country. The response of law enforcement in Guyana and around the world remain an issue for concern. There are too many reports where the relevant authorities, including the police, are not playing their full role in confronting this ugly blot on the integrity of our country. I urge that we commit to be a lead voice and a lead example for the world in ending VAW.
This year, unfortunately, there is another layer in the VAW spectrum for Guyana – our treatment of migrant women. The recent reports of rape and sexual and violent abuse of migrant women and sex workers in Guyana are unacceptable and must attract serious action by the authorities.
For IWD 2021, I would especially like to call attention to the continuing problem of childbirth by teenage girls. We continue to record births by teenage mothers amounting to more than 20% of our births in Guyana. Unfortunately, there are significant numbers of these teenage pregnancies that are the result of sexual abuse by a close family member, including a father. This crime must not be allowed to continue. This is a national disgrace and the fact that it is far more rampant in other countries is no consolation. For IWD 2021, let us make it unambiguous, just one case of sexual abuse is unacceptable.
We celebrate women and girls whose contributions continue to make our country better. We #CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE, challenge our country to be better.
Dr. Leslie Ramsammy