European Union (EU) Ambassador to Guyana, Fernando Ponz Cantó is urging all persons to take actions in order to see change particularly as it relates to gender equality and violence against women/girls.
He made this call while delivering a message in observation of International Women’s Day (IWD). IWD is being observed today under the theme `Choose a challenge’.
Speaking to reporters during an interview at his Sendall Place, Stabroek office last week, Cantó said that it is also important that women lead in order to achieve gender quality.
“Don’t be shy. It’s time for women to take leadership and to take it in a very active way,” Cantó said.
He noted that challenges lead to change and this year, the idea is to directly challenge gender imbalance, inequalities and other problems associated with gender.
“I believe that women’s leadership is very essential, among other reasons because it is only through their leadership that we can reach equality,” Cantó added.
The Ambassador encouraged persons to celebrate IWD not only today but also throughout the year.
“…..It is a day for celebration but it is also a day of action and I think this is really what’s important. To celebrate girls but also to undertake commitments to change the situation, to transform things,” he said, while adding “I think that ultimately it is a question of upholding the values every day. Every single day of the year and it is a question of this is all about justice. Ultimately it is about love and respect for each other and it is about having equal rights and duties”.
Cantó said that the EU has spearheaded a number of programmes here in Guyana to tackle issues, particularly those related to women and children.
As it relates to gender equality, he said it is integrated in every dialogue between the EU and Government of Guyana. “And that is very important because this can lead to change,” Cantó noted.
Just recently, he said he signed orders which will see the financing of two programmes with the Amerindian People’s Association and ChildLink.
In these programmes, he explained a “very strong” gender dimension will be integrated. “For example they will be used to promote the participation of women in the decisions of local Amerindian communities,” Cantó said.
Through these projects, he added that the EU aims to support the efforts of Guyanese society to ensure that women take up more prominent roles. They will also address other issues they are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spotlight Initiative
The Spotlight Initiative is a global, multi-year partnership between the European Union and the United Nations to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls by 2030. It was launched here on November 1st, 2020.
According to Cantó, this project was designed to eradicate violence against women and girls especially those domestic related.
The main objective he said is to shed light on violence when it is happening. “To make the problem visible is the first step to solve it and that’s one of the main problems I think that we have. This kind of violence tends to be hidden…That’s the problem. It has to come to light,” Cantó explained.
“One of the problems that we find is that those things are hidden. We see a little bit but we believe that there is a lot more which is hidden,” he added.
This programme, Cantó said has 17 areas of actions which cover providing help to victims. It also includes a guarantee that women and girls are reintegrated into society so they can return to their normal lives.
“It a lot of work and its complicated. I know that also mentalities have to change. Not only in Guyana but everywhere in the world. Mentality evolves, mentalities can change but it is important to keep on working and to intensify the work which has been done so far which I think is not enough,” he further explained.
The 914 hotline is a component of the Spotlight Initiative. The 24-hour toll-free hotline allows persons to call to report domestic violence and also seek assistance.
When a call is placed between 8 am and 4.30 pm, it is routed to a trained customer service operator, who, in turn, will connect the caller to a social worker.
Calls made after these hours and during the weekends will be forwarded to the cellphones of social workers and calls are expected be addressed with confidentiality. The social workers are expected to provide necessary consultations and refer children and parents to local service providers and other relevant agencies.
Cantó is encouraging persons to utilize the service.
“I can only encourage everybody, not only the victims. It is important that the victims know they can call this number but anybody who witnesses abuse can call this number and should call this number,” he said.
To this end, the Ambassador said everyone has a responsibility and not only victims.
