International Women’s Day Messages 2021
Mar 08, 2021 , Source - https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...s-day-messages-2021/
A Message from the General Manager of GMC on International Women’s Day
Teshawna Lall, General Manager of Guyana Marketing Corporation
An empowered woman glows differently, knowing that she can overcome any of life’s obstacles.
No one is more powerful than a passionate woman determined to succeed. In fact, women have shown that their power is limitless and that they can achieve anything once they embrace self-confidence and overcome their fears.
A woman who builds herself is unbreakable. Be reminded on this day, to not only know and live your purpose, but create a path of perseverance. Never give up and always stand up for yourself.
For 2021 and beyond, I look forward to working with and helping to make the dreams of strong female thinkers and entrepreneurs a reality in the agricultural sector.
Remember, women can be anyone and anything they want to be. The sky is the limit.
General Manager of Guyana Marketing Corporation
Teshawna Lall
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Statement by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director, on International Women’s Day 2021
International Women’s Day this year comes at a difficult time for the world and for gender equality, but at a perfect moment to fight for transformative action and to salute women and young people for their relentless drive for gender equality and human rights. Our focus is on women’s leadership and on ramping up representation in all the areas where decisions are made – currently mainly by men – about the issues that affect women’s lives. The universal and catastrophic lack of representation of women’s interests has gone on too long.
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director
As we address the extraordinary hardship that COVID-19 has brought to millions of women and girls and their communities, we also look ahead to the solid opportunities of the Generation Equality Forum and Action Coalitions to bring change.
During the pandemic, we have seen increased violence against women and girls and lost learning for girls as school dropout rates, care responsibilities and child marriages rise. We are seeing tens of millions more women plunge into extreme poverty, as they lose their jobs at a higher rate than men, and pay the price for a lack of digital access and skills. These and many other problems cannot be left to men alone to solve. Yet, while there are notable exceptions, in most countries there is simply not the critical mass of women in decision-making and leadership positions to ensure that these issues are tabled and dealt with effectively and this has affected the pace of change for women overall.
There are breakthroughs to celebrate, where women have taken the helm of organizations, such as the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank and we look forward to more such appointments that help to change the picture of what a leader looks like. Yet this is not the norm. In 2020, as a global average, women were 4.4 percent of CEOs, occupied just 16.9 percent of board seats, made up only 25 percent of national parliamentarians, and just 13 percent of peace negotiators. Only 22 countries currently have a woman as Head of State or Government and 119 have never experienced this – something that has important consequences for the aspirations of girls growing up. On the current trajectory, we won’t see gender parity in the highest office before 2150.
This can and must change. What is needed is the political will to actively and intentionally support women’s representation. Leaders can set and meet parity targets, including through appointments for all executive positions at all levels of government, as has occurred in the few countries with gender equal cabinets. Special measures can work; where countries have put in place and enforced quotas, they have made real progress on women’s leadership, as have those that have policies to address representation. Where these measures do not exist, progress is slower or even nonexistent and easily reversed.
No country prospers without the engagement of women. We need women’s representation that reflects all women and girls in all their diversity and abilities, and across all cultural, social, economic and political situations. This is the only way we will get real societal change that incorporates women in decision-making as equals and benefits us all.
This is the vision of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals and the vision of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
It is the vision of civil society and multitudes of young people who are already leading the way and of all those who will join us in the Generation Equality Action Coalitions. We need bold decisive action across the world to bring women into the heart of the decision-making spaces in large numbers and as full partners, so that we can make immediate progress on a greener, equitable and inclusive world.
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STATEMENT from the National Congress of Women (NCW)
The National Congress of Women (NCW), the Women’s Arm of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), joins with all Guyanese women as well as women all over the world as we observe International Women’s Day (IWD) 2021, today, Monday March 8, 2021. This day is also observed when the entire month of March is dedicated to women.
March is also recognized as Women’s History month. This year’s observances are celebrated under the United Nations theme. “Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.”
The theme celebrates the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also aligned with the priority theme of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, “Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls,” and the flagship Generation Equality campaign, which calls for women’s right to decision-making in all areas of life, equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work, an end all forms of violence against women and girls, and health-care services that respond to their needs.
International Women’s Day provides an occasion to pause and reflect on how women of all colours and creeds have shaped the nation’s history and how they are influencing its future right now. We observe International Women’s Day to repair some of the damage the nation has suffered by stifling the talent and ambition of half of its population for centuries.
A cursory review of the history of women in Guyana reveals that it was the likes of Jane Phillips-Gay, who was one of the first three women to enter the Legislative Assembly in 1953, and along with Winifred Gaskin, organized our women to become actively involved in the political landscape of the then British Guiana in 1957. After the United Nations declared 1975 International Women’s Year, the likes of Viola Burnham and Shirley Field-Ridley pushed the woman’s political agenda and with a legal team headed by Desiree Bernard consolidated the laws of Guyana relating to women. More women became Parliamentarians and Ministers of Government. Today it is a prerequisite for any political list of candidates for an election must comprise 33% women. As a result, there are more women participating in the decision-making roles and the NCW looks forward to a 50% participation.
There is much for women in Guyana and the world to celebrate. Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Dr. Paloma Mohamed, is the first Guyanese woman to ascend to that position, Kelly Hyles, who graduated from the prestigious Harvard University, Rukia Henry, who developed a model to study herpes virus infections in the brain, Kesaundra Alves, for ‘Advancing Law to fight Cancer’ and Amrita Rivas-Pierre of AT Investments, among others.
More and more women are being elected to public office, including Black women. Amanda Gorman, a young woman and the United States’ first-ever youth poet laureate, recited a powerful poem, which she wrote for the inauguration of President, Joe Biden and Vice President, Kamala Harris. A nation hungry for optimism and seeking “light in this never-ending shade” was wowed and inspired by a stirring call to civic duty, unity, and national purpose. Ms. Gorman urged us to “Lift our gaze not to what stands between us but what stands before us.”
There are so many untold stories of valiant women who have made and remade the nation, in spite of and because of a culture that prefers them silent and submissive. There have always been women who were willing, able, and compelled to go against the grain and call for more political independence for women. It is sad and too frequent that some women feel compelled by artificially assigned roles even today to vote against their own interests.
But even as we in Guyana celebrate women’s leadership before this COVID-19 pandemic, achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world seems distant for some of our sisters.
The NCW condemns not only the Sexual and Physical violence meted out to many of our sisters here in Guyana, but also the Economic violence to many of our sisters, many of them being single parents, who have been strategically placed on the breadline with the wanton termination of their services from their places of employment.
As women, we are the focus today because it is International Women’s Day; the National Congress calls for an end to the verbal and physical abuse being bantered around in the hallowed halls of our National Assembly. The NCW calls for equality and justice.
Guyana has been blessed with talented women and we of the NCW insist that they come out of the margins and take their rightful place as leaders of the nation. It is altogether fitting that as a nation; we should celebrate and amplify the voices of women leaders – not just to honour them, but to create a more perfect union. As Amanda Gorman reminds us, “Love becomes our legacy and our children’s birthright.” It is up to the women to “Rebuild, reconcile and recover.”
Happy International Women’s Day 2021!
National Congress of Women (NCW)
Monday 8th March, 2021
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GAWU International Women’s Day Message 2021
The GAWU joins in saluting all women and girls on the occasion of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2021. It is indisputable that women have played an important role in the advancement of civilization and, increasingly today, they are engaged in all sphere of human endeavour in many countries across the world.
We recall that International Women’s Day emerged out of the struggles of women workers in the United States, who organized themselves to strike for better working conditions, better pay, and voting rights and against women’s oppression and gender inequality. These struggles made us better understand the inseparable links between economic rights and political rights. Their struggles also show that the concerns of working people the world over are shared between women and men.
The day dedicated to women, gained prominence when socialist women workers identified it as a day of action to rally against the First World War. On the same day in 1917, a strike of working women of Russia took place in protest at the killing of 2 million soldiers in the war and which provided a further impetus for the history-making Russian Revolution which occurred in that year and which saw the birth of a socialist country for the first time in the annals of civilization.
In-as-much that women have made and are making worthy contributions to mankind’s all-round development and generally made notable strides in their own lives they must still contend with multi-faceted problems – poverty, economic inequality, discrimination in work life, oppressions, and various manifestations of violence. Today, the heavy burden of austerity affects women – job opportunities are scarce and dwindling; services they rely on are discontinued or reduced; working-women face exploitation; millions live with oppressions literally on a daily basis, and yet millions make up a large contingent of refugees driven from their homes and settlements mainly due to destructive wars of aggression and severe bombardment of their countries.
The past year as a difficult one. The COVID-19 pandemic has spared nobody and was particularly challenging for women around the world.
Doctors, nurses, teachers, shop assistants – jobs often held by women – have found themselves at the frontline of the pandemic. All this, while taking on greater responsibilities at home. We thank women for their bravery, their compassion, and their contribution in fighting the crisis, also by keeping our societies, care systems and most essential services running.
This year’s IWD theme: “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in COVID-19 world” gives due recognition to the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and highlights the gaps that remain. We hold that women’s full and effective participation and leadership in all areas of life drives progress for everyone.
We are convinced that the women of the world and working women especially remain a formidable force in mankind’s struggles to address unequal relationships and to bring about a just, democratic and peaceful world. With this in mind, we take this opportunity to express solidarity with our womenfolk worldwide and more with our Guyanese womenfolk.
Happy IWD 2021.
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Guyana Public Service Union
Message from the President, Mr. Patrick M. Yarde, on the Occasion of International Women’s Day 2021
On behalf of the membership of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), it is a privilege and honour, saluting women on this memorable and significant occasion, “International Women’s Day.” In doing so, I want to express how relevant and appropriate I consider the theme ’Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.’
GPSU President, Mr. Patrick M. Yarde
From the commencement of this year, internationally, the world has witnessed the achievement of Kamala Harris being elected and sworn in on January 20, 2021, as the 1st female Vice President in the history of the United States of America. At the other extremity, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, of Myanmar, was elected President by a landslide victory in the November 2020 elections and was overthrown by a military coup d’état on 1st February, 2021. In 2011, she was initially recognized as a civilian leader ushering in the hope of democracy, after 41 years of military rule. What is significant for me and deeply admired, is what she has achieved even though she has been incarcerated since February 2021. Much like Guyana, the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar consists of many ethnic races, and her removal from political office by the military has galvanized all ethnic groups against what is considered the common enemy, that is the military and the oppressors of the will of the people. This form of unity among the people of Guyana is needed and long overdue and our women folk have the capacity and the competence to be in vanguard of this struggle and its achievements.
However, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the many achievements made by women in Guyana. They have elevated to the highest National offices including: President of Guyana, Prime Minister of Guyana, Ministers of Government, Chancellor of the Judiciary, Chief Justice, Director of Public Prosecution, Chairperson of the Elections Commission, Heads of Overseas Diplomatic Missions and Permanent Secretaries, just to highlight a few. The only major barrier that exists to their wider range of achievement is the backward and unenlightened political doctrine that gives credence to political preferences.
Here in Guyana and the world over, women are the vast majority of frontline workers in our ongoing efforts to restrict the spread of COVID-19 and hopefully, eventually its eradication. They have been very committed and selfless in discharging their duties in providing quality healthcare in an environment with obvious inadequacies. They are continuously exposed to life-threatening risks, doing so without proper recognition, insufficient protection, and inadequate compensation.
The insensitivities that have been shown to these most valuable human resources are appalling and unconscionable and require urgent and broad-based support to have it corrected in the national interest. This ungrateful and disrespectful conduct was exhibited in Linden recently, when the Chief Executive Officer of the Linden Hospital, associated members of this valuable workforce with very disparaging and vulgar comments. As the women took to the streets to protest such defamation, they were threatened with sanctions and unjust disciplinary actions. Even more disappointing, is that he seems to be supported and protected by all his superiors. We must demand that our leaders set a positive example and be held accountable for their actions. This is just one instance of the challenges we face in protecting, respecting, and advancing our women here in Guyana. We should be supporting and uplifting them with pride in this challenging and deadly environment, to give of their best with confidence and the knowledge that their hard work is appreciated.
The GPSU has always strived for the upliftment of women and for them to be regarded as equals and we will continue to do so. This policy and practice is evident in the composition of our Executive Council, our full-time staff, and our pursuit of human resources development, at all levels. We will always stand up in defence of our women folk and their entitlement to be treated with respect, equality, and to be afforded every opportunity to develop themselves. Nonetheless, as the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating economic impacts, we must ensure that women are not disproportionately targeted for unemployment, reduction in salaries and wages and deferred education. We will vigorously challenge any maneuvers to use the prevailing COVID-19 environment to discriminate against women within and outside of the union’s membership.
The GPSU will continue to strive to ensure that there are adequate and quality facilities that are available to women to provide much needed dependent care, other resources and considerations, while they pursue upward mobility and assume a stronger presence of leadership throughout Guyana.
Once again, Happy International Women’s Day! We are indeed proud of you.
March 8, 2021.
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Message by the Minister of Housing and Water, Hon. Collin Croal, M.P. on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2021
International Women’s Day gifts us the opportunity to celebrate the achievements that women have already made, and calls us to confront the significant challenges that they still face in this 21st century.
Minister of Housing and Water, Hon. Collin Croal, M.P.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that women deserve a world that is free from discrimination. It is no secret that the gender gap remains a challenge; that more women and girls experience violence and sexual harassment at work places; that not enough policies benefit from the input of women; that equality remains elusive.
But today, as we contemplate these issues, let us also be grateful for, and celebrate the women who have kept our families and homes together, while holding down jobs during the pandemic; our frontline workers who have kept us safe while endangering their own lives and those who keep our offices running and our eating-places clean. Let us redouble our efforts to end discrimination and stigma of all kinds against women and girls. Let us rage against stereotypes and reaffirm solidarity with women everywhere.
Guyana’s first female President, Janet Jagan, a world renown politician and leader, and a comrade said, women must join in the struggle to bring about political and socio-economic changes so that there will be equal opportunities for all. She recognized that without the contributions of women, the world would be poorer for it.
And so today, let us choose to challenge every hindrance that stops progress for women. Though change is a tedious process, let us choose to persistently challenge its pace.
I choose to challenge any policy at my Ministry that does not include women and girls, and endeavour to have more women become homeowners in the near future.
What will you choose to challenge?
Happy International Women’s Day!