The PPP Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) will hold its 16th Triennial Congress on November 24 and 25—six months before its starts its year-long 60th anniversary celebration—to examine ways of improving the status and conditions of Guyanese women.
In a press release the WPO said the sessions will bring together women from across the 10 regions for two days of interaction during they will assess their progress since the last congress and devise a plan for the next three years. The sessions will be held under the theme ‘Strengthen WPO to further advance the development of Guyanese women.’
The seminar will include a strategic vision which will be presented to the congress for adoption. The agenda also includes the reports of six working groups, the presentation of the Central Committee report and the elections of members for the central committee. The topics for discussion by the groups are ‘Strengthening the WPO’; ‘Women in decision-making’; ‘Women’s participation in income generation’; ‘Violence against women and girls’; ‘How to attract and motivate young women into the political environment’; ‘What are some of the challenges facing families and how the WPO can help to overcome them?’
According to the release the WPO was formed at a significant juncture of Guyana’s history when the PPP was established. The party “recognised the role women had to play in the country’s political and economic development, undertook the task of setting up the WPO as the women’s section of the party.” Today, the membership spans all ten regions and ethnicities.
The organisation also notes the tremendous role that was played by founder member and WPO president, late former president Janet Jagan, “who provided humane services to the people of Guyana, through her involvement in raising the awareness of the oppressed and downtrodden people, especially women.” The organisation has championed a wide range of issues and looks forward to the pursuing endeavours that will defend and promote women’s rights to participation and influence at every level of the decision-making processes in Guyana.
