As women were being celebrated at an International Women’s Day Concert and Expo, First Lady Sandra Granger issued a call for them to use Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to broaden their horizons.
First Lady Sandra Granger
“Let our cellphones and the Internet become our tools to build bridges, to share information, to support and mentor our sisters,” the First Lady is quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying.
Granger told about 3000 persons present that through Information Technology girls and women could be encouraged to expand their knowledge and push for gender parity in upper-management levels in the office, factory and field.
The First Lady called on women to seize the opportunities presented, noting that it was a fact that women and girls drive development. She further highlighted that “their equal access to training and participation in all facets of development translates into progress for all”.
In her remarks, Canadian High Commissioner Lilian Chatterjee stated that “Guyana has a tradition for being a leader in the Region when it comes to gender equality and women’s rights”. She highlighted that within the country “women consistently hold key decision-making portfolios”.
The International Women’s Day Concert and Expo was facilitated by the Canadian High Commission, in collaboration with the Social Protection Ministry, and was hosted at the Everest Cricket Ground on Sunday.
The event attracted women of all ages, who were provided with information on women and reproductive health, entrepreneurship, academic programmes, and other meaningful information.
At dusk, patrons were treated to a concert filled with cultural performances. They were also entertained by various artistes such as renowned Trinidadian Soca singer Nailah Blackman, Calvin Burnett and Guyana’s very own songbird, Poonam Singh.
