PM calls on Guyanese men to embrace shared responsibility

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) the Honourable Mark Phillips today encouraged men gathered at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in observance of International Men’s Day (IMD) to commit to better overall relationships with women.

The senior government official, who was the guest speaker at the event, organised by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, said that women are now prominently placed in most sections of society and men must understand this positive evolution and embrace the concept of shared responsibility.

“Men must be able to cope with the developing role of women in the society…shared responsibility does not diminish your role in the home with your family or at your place of work…The more opportunities we give to women, it’s better for us as men”.

Among the men gathered were several representatives of the armed forces, civil society and religious organisations.

The Prime Minister added that the family as a unit plays an important role in nurturing boys and provides a strong foundation for men. As a result, he said that men must rethink their roles within the family and begin to take it more seriously.

“As men, we cannot just see ourselves as the sole breadwinner and nothing else. We have to get involved in what I call an expansion of our duties…the concept of shared responsibility is very important in the modern home. This is no longer the 90s. This is 2021, shared responsibility is perhaps the most important principle of success in any home”.

In her remarks, the Minister of Human Services and Social Security, the Honourable Dr Vindhya Persaud, said that her Ministry will promote the concept of shared responsibility.

“It’s reassuring that a lot of men are stepping into this ambit of shared responsibility, but we do need to have a discussion around that, as we also do about the expectations of men….Today I do have the pleasure of launching a campaign around shared responsibility where men will understand what we mean by shared responsibility and where they can participate in the responsibilities that are traditionally seen as female”.

Today’s event was called ‘EngageMENt’ and featured several panel discussions on the expectations and needs of masculinity and men’s health and wellbeing.

US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch and European Union Ambassador to Guyana, Fernando Ponz Cantó, also attended.