Int’l Women’s Day … A conversation on women

Today, Guyana joins the rest of the world to observe International Women’s Day under the theme “Make it Happen.”

Celebrated annually on March 8, this day has been hailed as an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women while calling for greater equality. The first International Women’s Day was observed in 1911.

Annually, thousands of events occur to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. Kaieteur News asked the men and women in the streets how they felt about the current state of women’s affairs and their achievements over the years.

Tracey Smith, 22, Legal Assistant  
‘As a society, we have come a long way. What was once a dream is now a reality for us women here in Guyana since we can now exercise our right to vote. This right, along with many others, has given us our recognition- a recognition to do much better for ourselves.  Therefore, my appeal is to all women, especially single-parent mothers.

The fight is within us to ensure that our children, the future leaders, are strong and well equipped for a better Guyana. Take advantage of programmes and opportunities that can push you towards becoming independent, for you and your family. You can “make it happen” if you believe.’

Trevor Al, 19, University Student
‘Women have come a long way, especially in a country like Guyana where things are still a bit traditional. I remember listening to stories from the women in my family about having little or no access to education. Now, women are afforded a lot of opportunities and are really giving us a “run for our money.”

I see this as a great thing because women are great assets to all sectors of our society and not just the home. So, these strides are being made and that’s a positive step but we still have some distance to go.

Yes, there are women who are doing great things; yes there are women who are afforded great opportunities but there are still women who are fighting for their basic rights. Imagine in this world, there are women who are still being denied access to education, control over their bodies and equal pay for the same work.

So while we will celebrate International Women’s Day and celebrate the accomplishments of women, we need to focus on those women who are on the sidelines crying out for help.’

Teshanna Cox, 22, Paralegal Researcher
‘I think Guyana has a lot of catching up to do with the rest of the world in terms of the way women are treated and empowered in society. Before the women’s movement between the 60’s and ’70s, rape was believed to be something that happened in dark alleys and bad neighbourhoods, and usually committed by strangers.

The women’s movement penetrated this myth by revealing the truth -that most rapes happen between people who know each other and it is much more common than people think. This represented a huge advance.

But in Guyana, and also in other places, the result is that victim-blaming has become like the air we breathe. Much of the time, it comes from an assumption that rape is the result of some kind of mix-up or a drunken encounter gone wrong.

Therefore, rape becomes so common place as if it’s a consequence of being a young woman. We can begin by revitalizing the idea, that women are in no way to blame for sexual assault, and that sex without consent is rape. Period!

We have a criminal system in Guyana that has significantly failed victims of sexual assault. We read bits of these cases in the newspapers but we hardly hear anything back, if so, it’s probably about three to four years after, and more often than not, the conviction is thrown out.

That for me is discouraging to any woman who wants to come forward. Also, the after-care treatment is something which I know is lacking.  I’ve been following carefully the happenings of the Sexual Offences Act of 2010 which makes provisions for systems to be put in place to help women but yet, little is being done towards the implementations of these practices.

The entire system needs to be overhauled from the way the matter is dealt with initially in the police station, to the medical examination right up to the preparation for a trial. If a woman does not want to go through the criminal trial, then fine, at least let there be some public mechanism for ensuring that they know how and where to get psychological and medical help.

Loraine Rose, 60, Vendor
‘Women have to work hard and they are not really appreciated for that. We working hard but we are not seeing it in our pockets. We do more than just things in the house daily.

But women are not respecting themselves. These days, women are dressing whatever way they want. In my time, we dressed respectfully but now these young girls need to respect themselves. It’s like, we fight so hard for women to be respected and it just going down the drain these days. If you see the clothes these girls wear.

We have to work harder.’

Ade Henry, 26, Business Counselor/Photographer
‘As a Woman in Guyana I feel that I am both privileged and disadvantaged. We women are afforded the basic rights that for some other countries are luxuries; we are given opportunities to improve our quality of life through access to basic amenities and we have information at our will if we choose to use it. On the flip side, women are treated and allow themselves to be treated as stepchildren in the house of a condescending stepmother.

It’s like my current favourite writer, Chimamanda Adichie said “We say to girls, you should aim to be successful, but not too successful.” As a nation we are slothful in development. Yes, we can access much more now but there is a serious deficiency in the way women are perceived in our society.

As women we ourselves buy into the image from the exaggerated glorification of our ‘butt,’ the perpetual perception of weakness and unworthiness to the cultural objectification. I’m tired of hearing phrases such as “stop crying like a girl”, or if a mistake is made while driving people quickly say “oh, it’s a woman driving” as if to cry and show weakness and driver making a mistake is synonymous to being female.

We are a strong people but we are afraid of that strength and where it can take us. We need to see stronger roles of women in public life. We need women who believe that just looking good is not enough and seek to become women that our young ones can positively emulate. Maybe then our women in politics will no longer be tools for votes; maybe then our Amerindian women will get the respect they deserve, maybe then our families would not be so broken.’

Anand Balkarran, 36, Market Vendor
‘Every man came out of a woman. We have to respect our women. They are our mothers and sisters and we need to respect them at home before we come out on the road. You have to know how to talk to our mothers first before we reach the young ladies out there.

Men in Guyana are not respecting the women. No matter what a man does, he still comes from a woman. That’s why you have to respect a woman. That’s how I know it, I don’t know about other people.

It’s a good thing we celebrate women’s day. Today is a big day; it’s like mother’s day!’

Marcy Welcome, 50, Businesswoman
“I think women are working too hard and men are not taking on their responsibilities. To be honest, we are always trying but how many listen? Women always work much harder than men. They have to take care of the home, take care of the bills. If men give you $10,000 you have to tell them how it’s spent.

Most of the times when you are dependent you get a problem because the men would check your money but you can’t check theirs.

I’m hoping for a change; to see how things will work out. I think men need to work much harder. Women are doing very good, most of us. Some women go out of line but you don’t know the reason. You have to find out why the individual reacting like this.

It’s tough but we got to keep fighting. You’re working so hard and the money is so small.’

Our state presently is a depressing morass of brutal wife murders, an epidemic of rapes and sexual trafficking. We lose 3000 young girls from school yearly all victims to sexual predation, from incest to rapes and not a damn thing is done to address it.

The PPP selecting a woman as PM means nothing in light of their neglect elsewhere.