Army Chief urges support for female diversification in all disciplines

…initiative strengthens partnership by focusing on significance of women’s progression – US Ambassador

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) recently hosted its first Women’s Peace and Security Workshop (WPS) at the Officers’ Mess Hall, Base Camp Ayanganna, Thomas Lands, Georgetown, during which the Army Chief urged support for female diversification in all disciplines.
The workshop was sponsored by the United States Southern Command (US SOUTHCOM) and facilitated by Colonel Elizabeth Evans and her team from the Florida National Guard.
The two-day female-oriented workshop saw participation from the Florida National Guard (Facilitators), GDF, Guyana Police Force (GPF), Guyana Prison Service (GPS) and the Guyana Fire Service (GFS).
The workshop was designed to assist in identifying challenges and barriers and present ways in which women could obtain support and make meaningful changes in their respective disciplines.

In attendance were United States Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch and GDF Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess.
In her remarks, the US Ambassador stated that “the SOUTHCOM’s WPS Programme recognises the diverse roles women play as agents of change in preventing and resolving conflict, countering terrorism and violent extremism as well as building post-conflict peace and stability in our hemisphere.”
She further stated that inclusiveness increases mission effectiveness and drives positive outcomes, with women making up over 50 per cent of the population. “Women bring unique and necessary skills to security forces. Statistics show that when we invest in a woman, she changes not only her life but also that of her family and her community. Add that change in a key institution such as the military and she will change that institution and her country. While structural adjustments to recruitment, training and promotion systems are critical, we must also acknowledge the contributions of talented women across the security sector.”
In his address, Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Bess posited, “the last two days were filled with initiatives and proposals that will build the capacity of females in the State’s security sector. In this contemporary environment where daily, the roles are being changed as it regards to what is considered a female task or male only mission, I am excited at the prospects of interactions such as these and is confident that it will reap great rewards. Guyana and the GDF will stand committed with the USA and SOUTHCOM in promoting meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention, management and resolution.”
He further pledged to embrace initiatives that seek to propose the platform from which our sisters in arms are assessed, tasked or deployed and trained. “It is behind this backdrop that the Guyana Defence Force is preparing to deploy its first contingent of females to perform task in support of their male counterparts at the borders.”
He added that the GDF welcomes any capacity building initiatives by the Woman Army Corps while recommending that the other Services adapt to the changed concept of promoting and supporting female diversification.