Gov’t remains focused on stamping out violence against women -Minister Manickchand - at International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women
Georgetown, GINA, November 25, 2011
Source - GINA
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand addressing the gathering at Ministry at the launch of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women
Guyana joined with the rest of world today, in observance of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security hosting a special service at the Ministry, Water and Cornhill Sts.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security Priya Manickchand, while addressing the gathering said that nothing will stop government in its actions to denounce violence against women.
“In Guyana we have been trying as far as we can to ensure proactive measures are taken so that women can be treated as equal as men…to make sure women are seen as capable to better take care of themselves and children,” Minister Manickchand said.
Stepping up the fight
In this struggle, Minister Manickchand said Government has put in place the necessary safeguard, policies and programmes to protect and empower women, including National Domestic Violence oversight committee, and the White zone and Skeldon declaration, while providing technical assistance and referral services such as legal aid to survivors of domestic violence.
“We believe that only with empowerment we can fight issues like domestic violence and sexual violence and in that regard much have been done,” Minister Manickchand informed.
She said hundreds of women have been trained in various skill areas, which have allowed them to become marketable “so that they can earn and become people who can look after themselves and acquire a better standard of living”.
In addition to being trained, women are also afforded the opportunity to access small loans, under the revolutionary single parents’ micro credit scheme to establish or expand small businesses, Minister Manickchand said.
This programme was launched 2010 in collaboration with the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry.
Women can access loans ranging from $100,000 to $250,000 to establish and expand small businesses and this programme was also hailed by the Executive Secretary for the Latin America and Caribbean (ECLAC) as one which the region should emulate.
A section of the gathering at the launch of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women
The programme, Minister Manickchand said, did not only afford single parents to provide a better life for their children but, changed their lives and improved their financial status.
“In addition to this, we also passed a comprehensive domestic violence act and a national publication on policies relating to domestic violence, and what we as citizens including health workers, police, teachers and nurses can do to help prevent and stop domestic violence in our society,” Minister Manickchand said.
Government, she said in addition to passing the Domestic violence legislation, also facilitated women the access to free legal services in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10.
Minister Manickchand also expounded on other services being provided by the Ministry including the Women’s Affairs Bureau which has been providing counselling services to women and young girls on various issues, while empowering them through interactive sessions and outreach programmes on gender and other issues, for leadership and decision making.
“These are all concrete measures taken to address the issue of violence against women....women are not responsible for the violence that is being meted out to them, they are not to be blamed and nothing that they do should be seen as an invitation to have violence meted out to them,” Minister Manickchand said.
While all these services, she said were created and put in place by the Government and other stakeholders, it is women who have to take responsibility for their lives. In this regard, she urged women to take advantage of the many provisions that were put in place to protect and safeguard them from violence.
“There are many many different avenues where help can be given, and as a woman I am asking you to utilize those services so that you and your children can live a violence free life…no one else but you,” Minister Manickchand urged.
She also paid tribute to social workers and other service providers who work tirelessly without recognition to transform the lives of battered women and children.
The Ministry will be hosting 16 days of activities across the country as part of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women.
“ In the coming year we will be expanding the Women of Worth and single parents programme, we will be looking to help more women to join the workforce, we are going to expand the role of Women and Men’s Affairs Bureau so we can address gender equality issues that exist in our world,” Minister Manickchand informed.
Georgetown, GINA, November 25, 2011
Source - GINA
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand addressing the gathering at Ministry at the launch of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against womenGuyana joined with the rest of world today, in observance of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security hosting a special service at the Ministry, Water and Cornhill Sts.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security Priya Manickchand, while addressing the gathering said that nothing will stop government in its actions to denounce violence against women.
“In Guyana we have been trying as far as we can to ensure proactive measures are taken so that women can be treated as equal as men…to make sure women are seen as capable to better take care of themselves and children,” Minister Manickchand said.
Stepping up the fight
In this struggle, Minister Manickchand said Government has put in place the necessary safeguard, policies and programmes to protect and empower women, including National Domestic Violence oversight committee, and the White zone and Skeldon declaration, while providing technical assistance and referral services such as legal aid to survivors of domestic violence.
“We believe that only with empowerment we can fight issues like domestic violence and sexual violence and in that regard much have been done,” Minister Manickchand informed.
She said hundreds of women have been trained in various skill areas, which have allowed them to become marketable “so that they can earn and become people who can look after themselves and acquire a better standard of living”.
In addition to being trained, women are also afforded the opportunity to access small loans, under the revolutionary single parents’ micro credit scheme to establish or expand small businesses, Minister Manickchand said.
This programme was launched 2010 in collaboration with the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry.
Women can access loans ranging from $100,000 to $250,000 to establish and expand small businesses and this programme was also hailed by the Executive Secretary for the Latin America and Caribbean (ECLAC) as one which the region should emulate.
A section of the gathering at the launch of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against womenThe programme, Minister Manickchand said, did not only afford single parents to provide a better life for their children but, changed their lives and improved their financial status.
“In addition to this, we also passed a comprehensive domestic violence act and a national publication on policies relating to domestic violence, and what we as citizens including health workers, police, teachers and nurses can do to help prevent and stop domestic violence in our society,” Minister Manickchand said.
Government, she said in addition to passing the Domestic violence legislation, also facilitated women the access to free legal services in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10.
Minister Manickchand also expounded on other services being provided by the Ministry including the Women’s Affairs Bureau which has been providing counselling services to women and young girls on various issues, while empowering them through interactive sessions and outreach programmes on gender and other issues, for leadership and decision making.
“These are all concrete measures taken to address the issue of violence against women....women are not responsible for the violence that is being meted out to them, they are not to be blamed and nothing that they do should be seen as an invitation to have violence meted out to them,” Minister Manickchand said.
While all these services, she said were created and put in place by the Government and other stakeholders, it is women who have to take responsibility for their lives. In this regard, she urged women to take advantage of the many provisions that were put in place to protect and safeguard them from violence.
“There are many many different avenues where help can be given, and as a woman I am asking you to utilize those services so that you and your children can live a violence free life…no one else but you,” Minister Manickchand urged.
She also paid tribute to social workers and other service providers who work tirelessly without recognition to transform the lives of battered women and children.
The Ministry will be hosting 16 days of activities across the country as part of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women.
“ In the coming year we will be expanding the Women of Worth and single parents programme, we will be looking to help more women to join the workforce, we are going to expand the role of Women and Men’s Affairs Bureau so we can address gender equality issues that exist in our world,” Minister Manickchand informed.
