Govt cognisant of far-reaching consequences – Senior Minister

Single-mom night shift policy

The Social Protection Ministry said it has no current or future intention of creating any policy that would exclude single mothers from any sector in Guyana, whether voluntary or involuntary.
Senior Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally, in an issued statement on Monday, said that Government remained cognisant of the far-reaching consequences of the implementation of such a policy.

Ally noted that the Ministry has for years been working towards bridging the gaps that exist particularly as it relates to gender equality and such a policy would erode progress in this area. “The Ministry of Social Protection wishes to notify that while it remains open to practical options that would provide flexibility for working single-parent women in Guyana, it is fully committed to adopting measures and policies that would not contribute or impede single-parent women being hired in all sectors of the economy,” the Minister said.
Ally’s statement comes in light of recent statements made by Junior Social Protection Minister Keith Scott regarding the exclusion of single mothers from night shift work within private security firms that has since sparked widespread debate and controversy within the security sector. The Minister said in the statement that an important aspect of the Ministry’s mandate is to remove constraints to women’s economic participation in the work force and to ensure that all women, especially those facing intersecting forms of discrimination, have equal access to employment free from gender discrimination, including that based on traditional sex stereotypes, pregnancy, or parenting.“For

decades women have been fighting the stereotypical perception that they should not seek careers that may not suit their social status. However, the Ministry remains resolved to continue and not hinder the work that we have begun regarding gender parity because of pregnancy and motherhood,” she acknowledged.
In light of this, Ally said Government remained committed to ensuring that all sectors work better for women; equal access to gainful employment; the provision of equal terms of conditions for women, safe working conditions and the full participation of women in the economy which is vital to achieving sustainable development in Guyana.
Only last week, the Government through the Ministry of the Presidency issued a statement distancing itself from comments made by Minister Scott, who has responsibility for labour relations. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon said on Thursday that there was no policy position approved by Cabinet whereby there was to be a ban on any female working at a security service at night. “As far as the Government is concerned, we have had no debate on the matter,” he explained.
Harmon said Senior Social Protection Minister Ally would have to take a paper to Cabinet for deliberation. Until such time, the situation with regard to the issue remains as it is and that means woman will continue to work either day or night and there is no restriction on them.
The Minister indicated that Government, instead, was calling on security companies to acknowledge and recognise that there were special conditions under which women should work and, therefore, those facilities for women should also be acknowledged and recognised by security firms.
Several women rights activists, including head of Red Thread Karen DeSouza, have come out to criticise the move, stating that it was misguided and did not represent the true meaning of protection of women rights. The award-winning activist told this newspaper in a recent interview that this move could be viewed as Government attempting to abdicate its responsibility to private companies.
The Guyana Association of Private Security Organisations (GAPSO) has also come out to condemn the proposed policy and stated that Minister Scott’s choice to selectively dismantle and target single mothers within the private security sector was a “cruel and arbitrary attack” on the sector.