Remarks by the Honourable Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2023

Fellow Guyanese,

I extend best wishes on the occasion of International Women’s Day, where we honour and celebrate women worldwide while reflecting on the important influence they have made in various aspects of global development.

As we observe the 2023 theme for International Women’s Day, “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”, it is imperative that we acknowledge its importance in multiple areas.

Globally, women have made and continue to make monumental contributions in the digital sphere, yet, there remains a gender gap concerning women’s access to technology worldwide, thereby creating significant economic and social inequalities.

Further, women and girls remain more likely to be victims of cyberbullying and other forms of harassment online, requiring a greater need to protect the rights of women and girls in those spaces.

In today’s world, there is a clarion call for the reduction of gender inequality. That means we must seek out all areas where these inequalities exist and address them.

With regard to technology, we must focus on women’s empowerment and protection. The United Nations reports that of the estimated 2.7 billion people currently unconnected, the majority are women and girls. We must create greater access for women who may be interested in technology but who are otherwise limited due either to access, affordability or technological capabilities.

We must also protect the rights of women who have access but are likely to be exposed to violence online. These are the major issues that need to be addressed when we consider changes that we can make beyond International Women’s Day.

In Guyana, our government is committed to the empowerment of women and girls in technology and every aspect of their lives with a focus on improving their economic empowerment, increasing their participation in governance and ensuring that we create an environment where they have sufficient access to opportunities that allow them to reach their full potential.

It is evident that technology currently holds many of those opportunities. Access to technology spurs innovation and creativity and expands economic, educational and other opportunities available for self-advancement. We must find ways to ensure we maintain women’s and girls’  rights to meaningful use and development of technology. We must identify and remove the barriers that limit their access to technology to enable greater engagement, innovation, participation, education and economic empowerment.

So as we consider the major achievements that women have made thus far today, let us also consider the improvements that need to be made for even more progress with regard to achieving gender equality. I urge governments and all stakeholders to work together towards making the commitments and implementing the actions that will create a more inclusive and balanced society for our women and girls.

Happy International Women’s Day