The Women and Gender Equality Commission (WGEC) has called for more women in the elected leadership of the Indigenous Peoples.
In an open letter yesterday to the National Toshaos Conference in Georgetown, the WGEC noted that only 16% of the toshaos were women and only one was elected to the National Toshaos Council (NTC).
Congratulating the newly elected Toshaos, members of Village Councils and Community Development Councils in all the ten regions of Guyana, the WFEC said that it noticed with concern, the under-representation of elected women leaders. “Our gender analysis shows 16% women elected overall and we note that only one woman Toshao is elected to the NTC.
We especially commend these women leaders and those communities that elected them. We are aware that this imbalance is partly due to the insufficient number of women standing for and being elected as Toshaos. Women make up over fifty percent of the population and this should be reflected in the gender make-up of the Council. Indeed, this should be reflected in all decision-making bodies in Guyana”, the constitutional commission said.
It pointed out that Guyana’s Constitution is very clear on its provisions for gender equality (Article 149F); and the UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples has similar provisions.
The WGEC said there is overwhelming evidence that for any development process to be sustainable it must adequately address the needs and priorities of men and women.
“Across all socio-economic groups, overwhelming evidence reveals that women are disadvantaged relative to men. This factor must be taken into consideration because development efforts where women are marginalized are predisposed to fail.
Women and men have different tasks and responsibilities as well as livelihood strategies and constraints; as such they must have equal input into development plans”, the WGEC said.
It welcomed the 10 Point Plan announced by President David Granger on Monday for hinterland development and noted the opportunities this presents for increased participation of Indigenous women therein.
“The Commission is aware that discrimination due to gender, ethnicity, caste, race, class or other social characteristics can operate to make women and men poor. We therefore encourage the (Toshaos’) Council to actively seek ways (to) ensure that more women stand for elected office.
Indigenous women themselves need to take up the challenge and stand for elected office in their communities not only because they are entitled to do so under our laws but because they contribute significantly to the social, economic and cultural well-being and cohesion of their communities”, the Commission added.
The WGEC says it is ready to partner with the NTC, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, and other relevant state and civil society organisations on gender sensitive leadership training for Indigenous women and men. The WGEC said it is also willing to assist with developing community policies and regulations geared to engender greater equality. It recommended that an Indigenous Women’s Advisory Group of elected councillors be established, as an interim measure, to help achieve a more gender-responsive way forward for the NTC and its constituencies.
Women and Gender Equality Com-mission (WGEC) August 18, 2015
