Innovative global partnerships, investment key to advancing women’s equality

At the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, recently held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, delivered a compelling address that highlighted Guyana’s unwavering commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Speaking at the 7th plenary, Dr Persaud outlined Guyana’s transformative policies that are aimed at protecting, empowering, and advancing women’s rights, and emphasised the need for strong global partnerships and investment to sustain progress worldwide.
Dr Persaud stressed that despite significant strides having been made, no country has fully achieved gender equality. Women remain under-represented in decision-making, leadership, and economic participation, while financial independence and safety remain pressing concerns.

Deeming it unacceptable that women continue to be significantly outnumbered in leadership roles, and emphasising that innovative global partnerships and unprecedented financial investments are necessary to sustain the progress made, Dr Persaud declared, “The challenges (women) face are vast and multifaceted. It’s a travesty that women are still massively outnumbered by men in decision-making and leadership positions. Financial independence for women, their safety, and their inclusion in decision-making processes require urgent changes to attitudes globally. Innovative global partnerships and unprecedented financial investments are necessary to ensure the momentum of the Beijing Platform is not lost.”
Dr Persaud added that failure to act decisively would not only leave women behind, but would also deprive the world of the full potential of half its population.
Dr. Persaud said Guyana has emerged as a leader in gender-inclusive policies, with women playing a pivotal role in shaping legislation and socio-economic development, and highlighted that the country’s commitment is reflected in the work of institutions like the Women and Gender Equality Commission and the Gender Affairs Bureau, which actively combat negative stereotypes and promote gender mainstreaming.
She said another key milestone in Guyana’s progress is the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute, which provides free technical and vocational training, entrepreneurial opportunities and leadership development programmes for women across all regions.
Dr Persaud also revealed that gender-responsive budgeting has been integrated across all sectors of the Guyana economy, supporting initiatives that are focused on ending violence against women and girls, enhancing economic empowerment, and increasing female participation in national decision-making.
Disclosing that 39 percent of Guyana’s Parliament currently consists of women, and over 50 percent of judicial officers are female, Dr Persaud said those are clear indicators of the country’s dedication to breaking barriers in governance and leadership.
She disclosed that in addition to economic and political empowerment, Guyana has made major advancements in women’s healthcare and safety, with Government ensuring free access to healthcare services, including telemedicine, maternal care, and cancer screenings, which particularly benefit indigenous, rural, and remote communities.
Further, she disclosed that a comprehensive national model has been implemented to counter gender-based violence by incorporating the new Family Violence Act; the establishment of Hope and Justice Centres, which provide legal, psychological, and social support under one roof; and improving reporting and response mechanisms for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Dr Persaud said Guyana’s commitment to gender equality has been internationally recognized, with the country’s ranking of 35th on the Global Gender Gap Index in 2024 reflecting its progress in education, health, economic opportunity and political empowerment.
However, she acknowledged that challenges remain despite these achievements, and inaction could threaten hard-won gains. She therefore called for renewed urgency in pushing forward with unrelenting resolve, stating that progress over the last 30 years must not be allowed to stagnate.