President Irfaan Ali says that it is essential that women and girls, historically the victims of marginalisation, be afforded better opportunities
In a message to mark World Population Day today, Ali said that this year’s theme, `Unleashing the power of gender equality: “Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities’, reminds of the continuing need to address gender inequality.
“The world’s population is increasing rapidly and is projected to surpass 8.5 billion by the end of this decade.
As the world’s population grows, it is essential that our women and girls, historically the victims of marginalisation, be afforded better opportunities for economic, political, professional and social empowerment. By investing more efforts in reducing gender gaps and empowering women and girls, we can lay the foundation for more inclusive and prosperous societies while reversing the historical injustices meted out to women and girls”, he said.
He added that gender disparities pose obstacles to women and girls realising their full potential.
“This is why my government is making a concerted effort to reduce gender inequality in education, employment, health, political representation and decision-making”, he said.
He stated that education remains a lynchpin of reducing inequalities and for this reason the government had launched initiatives such as the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL). He asserted that GOAL had become a potent tool in providing women with the knowledge and skills, backed by certification, that can allow them to grasp the increasing opportunities.
“We have declared a policy of zero tolerance against domestic violence. As we know, women are the principal victims of these crimes”, the Presi-dent said in the message.
He also contended that the government is empowering women economically.
“We have an initiative to encourage women and youth in agriculture, thus opening income opportunities for our women. Also, we are catalysing female entrepreneurship to boost female participation in business”, Ali said.
