“We cannot build a nation without men” – Dr Vindhya Persaud

– as Human Services Ministry launches BRAVE Men’s Policy

The Human Services and Social Security Ministry’s Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Policy Unit (SO&DVPU) has launched the Bridging the Gap policy.
This policy was created in an attempt to put men and boys at the centre of the fight against gender-based violence in Guyana and calls for a deeper focus on accountability, emotional resilience, and respect as part of the solution.
The policy does not just include men and boys, but it invites them into a process of reclamation: of agency, responsibility, emotional awareness, and connection. It recognises that men and boys are not simply part of the problem but rather they are also essential to the solution.

Bridging the Gap Policy marks a deliberate and much-needed shift: it calls for a new approach to male engagement — one that affirms the capacity of men and boys to lead change, reclaim personal agency and build lives rooted in accountability, respect, and emotional integrity.
Speaking during the launch at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Friday, Human Services Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud highlighted that men are the main factor towards building a nation.
“We cannot build a nation without men, and we must recognise that men are equally important as women as we counter violence; we cannot see one without the other; we cannot see one as the problem and the other as the solution. We need to see both as part of the solution to an issue that has been embedded not only nationally but globally in families and communities for generations. I say this because what we are endeavouring to do is to change what we have known, what we have lived, what we have experienced, and what we see from time to time in the media or in our daily lives.”

She noted that people who face or perpetrate violence are shaped by their experiences, exposure, culture, beliefs, and values — which makes every person unique. However, gender-based violence still seeps through and causes havoc.
“Diversity is a wonderful thing, however, amidst this beauty, gender-based violence continues to rear its head again and again. When it comes to the fore, lives are lost — and that is why this is more than a policy. This is transformational. This is not just a national policy that remains on paper.”
On that note, she emphasised that the policy was carefully crafted with the consideration of men at its core.
“It has been carefully thought out and crafted to ensure that it is comprehensive and inclusive. In the crafting of this policy, men from all walks of life were consulted and engaged to ensure that what we have created appeals to men of every walk of life. What we have crafted will not only appeal to them but empower them. And when I speak of empowerment men often say, ‘You’re only speaking of women.’ Today I want to say, when we speak of empowerment, see yourselves as part of this. The policy has been so carefully crafted that there is nothing here that gives men a negative label. And we were very sure that is where we wanted to go when we made this policy.”
The Bridging the Gap policy outlines seven mutually reinforcing policy actions. These actions are designed not only to address the roots of gender-based violence (GBV) but also to support men and boys in reclaiming emotional well-being, healthier identities, and meaningful roles in violence prevention and family life.
Together, these actions provide a national roadmap for engaging men and boys across communities, institutions, and life stages.
The BRAVE Programme is a flagship intervention of the Bridging the Gap policy. It offers structured, values-based spaces for men and boys to reflect, heal, and grow.
BRAVE supports participants in reclaiming personal agency, exploring their identities, challenging harmful norms, and building a legacy grounded in respect and responsibility.