First Lady: Gender Equality a Pressing Issue: UN Women Data Shows Women Have to Wait 300 Years for Full Equality
Date:
Georgetown, Guyana, 15 November 2023: Her Excellency Arya Ali, First Lady, Co-operative Republic of Guyana has flagged gender equality as a “pressing issue”, calling on stakeholders to “seize the opportunity now and together” to support education of women and girls and women’s economic empowerment.
H.E. Arya Ali, First Lady, Co-operative Republic of Guyana delivers the key remarks at the Forum. UN Women Photo/Trevor Smith
Her Excellency was delivering the key remarks at the Caribbean Gender Forum Coordinated under the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative and through a partnership between UN Women and Atlantic Council. The Forum held recently brought together policy makers within Government, civil society, and the private sector.
Making the point that the trajectory for gender equality must be transformed, Her Excellency said, “UN Women has established through research, that based on current rates of progress, women and girls will not achieve full equality with men and boys for another 300 years. Can you imagine that? 300 years? Every day we hear rollbacks and threats to the rights, women and girls believed were secure. I do not think that anyone of us here fancies waiting another 300 years for women to be treated with the level of dignity we deserve.”
Tonni Brodber, Representative, UN Women Multi-Country Office (MCO) - Caribbean lauded the multi-sectoral approach in the work towards gender equality in Guyana by the Government, private sector, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). Ms. Brodber said that “Guyana is leading in many ways. (sic) It is obvious that the political leadership in Guyana has demonstrated the political will, and civil society across Guyana has demonstrated as well, their passion and dedication to addressing this issue.”
UN Women MCO Caribbean Representative Tonni Brodber delivers virtual remarks. UN Women Photo/ Trevor Smith
Ms. Brodber shared examples of this commitment saying that Guyana is the only country in the Caribbean that adheres to the Beijing Platform for Action recommendation and guidance for 30% of women in Parliament. Ms. Brodber also shared that 17 companies have signed on to the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), the most in the region.
The Caribbean Gender Forum addressed “Expanding women’s political participation in the Caribbean” and “Addressing the effects of climate change on Caribbean women.”
