Social Inclusion Policy to tackle gender inequality

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRka9b7E5vI” width=”100%” height=”315″]

– aims to fight all types of discrimination against women and girls

– working to eliminate all forms of violence

– promote economic development and inclusion

– health, wellness and healthcare

– support education, training and skills development

DPI, Guyana, Tuesday, March 5, 2019

The Regional Gender Equality Strategy and Beijing +25 Summit commenced on Tuesday with the aim to promote gender equality and empowerment of women and girls in Guyana.

The two-day summit includes the participation of the Ministry of Social Protection and several international organisations. The focus of the summit is the improvement of the National Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Policy for Guyana, which will be used as a framework to guide the implementation of appropriate mechanisms, policies and protocols to address issues of gender inequality.

In her feature address to the gathering, Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally said Guyana has made significant progress since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995.

 “This conference will enhance the review process by examining the achievements Guyana has made in gender equality and the empowerment of women and its contribution towards the realisation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development through a gender perspective. The Gender and Social Inclusion Policy aims to mainstream gender issues into all sectors in order to eliminate all negative economic, social and cultural practices that impede equality and equity,’ Minister Ally said.

The minister added that in strengthening the national machinery, the government will work to implement the National Gender and Social Inclusion policy during the second quarter of 2019.

“This policy will strengthen links between Government and Non- Governmental Organisations to 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.”

Minister Ally emphasized that the Coalition Government remains committed to promoting the full participation of women, men, girls, and boys by involving both the public and private sectors as agents of development.

Gender Equality is not only seen as an end in itself and human rights issues but as a prerequisite for the achievement of sustainable development.

Deputy Representative, UN Women Multi-Country Office, Tonni Brodher said the Beijing declaration is a commitment to ensuring that the world’s women and girls reach their full potential.

“We are here to move from data to informed action, the Beijing Platform for Action and the declaration is a promise and now we have to ensure that the promise is proven, we need to see women venture into entrepreneurship, teenage mothers reinstated into society, access to education and Developmental skills, protection from violence among other factors,” Brodher said.

The Regional Gender Equality Strategy and Beijing +25 Summit is designed to assist the Government of Guyana to critically examine consequences and dynamics of gender, social inclusion and exclusion and access and inaccessibility among vulnerable groups in order to effectively identify and remove barriers that deny the groups’ fundamental human rights.

Consultations were held by the then Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security at Beijing+20 Summit in April, 2014 with the aim to address issues, such as, death of women due to violence in Guyana, the need for expeditious court cases relating to sexual offences, access to legal services by women within the hinterland communities and the role of an effective Sexual Offences Taskforce and Domestic Violence Oversight Committee.

Sustainable Development Goal, gender equality 5.1, aims to end all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.

Day two of the conference will focus on the strategic implementation of policies to curb all types of discrimination against women in Guyana.

Ayana George.

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