Without women “we will be future-less” – President Ali calls for respect, gratitude from men

In a powerful and emotional address on International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025, President Dr Irfaan Ali made an impassioned call for greater respect, support, and recognition of women in Guyana, declaring that without them, “we will be future-less.”
Speaking at the official launch of the $100,000 cash grant for newborns at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Saturday, the Head of State emphasised that women are the foundation of the nation, carrying the burden of the country’s future on their shoulders.
On this point, he urged men to acknowledge, celebrate, and support the women in their lives, not just on IWD, but every day.
“We must heal them. We must show them compassion. We must embrace them. We must encircle them with love. We must lift them up. We must celebrate them. We must honour them, because women are taking the burden of our future on their shoulders, and they’re making the sacrifices, and they’re investing in the future of our country by delivering and creating in themselves vessels and assets of our nation. Let us not take this work of our women for granted. Let us not take it…we will be future-less,” the Head of State said.

President Ali highlighted the Government’s substantial investments in women’s empowerment, education, and economic opportunities, reaffirming that his administration is committed to ensuring women thrive in all sectors of society. Over the past four years, the Government has invested more than $30 billion in education for more than 50,000 women, giving them access to training and skills development. This has resulted in remarkable achievements, with nearly 10,000 of the 14,000 University of Guyana (UG) graduates being women.
Additionally, in the field of education, women are leading the way, as out of 4,600 newly trained teachers, more than 4,000 are women. The President noted that this underscores the crucial role women play in shaping the country’s future through education and knowledge-sharing.
Beyond university education, women have also broken barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields. In technical education, over 10,000 women have enrolled in programmes, proving that they are equally capable in areas once considered for men alone. This is a significant shift in societal norms, Guyanese noted, recalling how technical fields like mechanics and heavy machinery operation were previously seen as careers only for men.
President Ali did not just focus on policies and numbers; he also made a heartfelt appeal to men, urging them to respect, uplift, and protect the women in their lives. He stressed that women should not have to fight for recognition or fair treatment, but instead, should be honoured, celebrated, and given every opportunity to succeed.
The Guyanese leader called for a societal shift where men embrace gratitude, respect, and compassion toward women, acknowledging their sacrifices and contributions.
“Our duty as men is clear,” he declared. Let us celebrate women tomorrow. Let us honour the women of yesterday. And let us understand as a nation, as a people, that the women in our society are the bedrock of our society. The women in our society are the foundation on which this nation will stand and grow. And our duty as men is to protect that foundation, to nurture that foundation, and to safeguard that foundation. And if as men, we safeguard this foundation with dignity, honour and we safeguard it with all our will and might, our country will be the shining star of all of the world.”
This year, IWD is being observed under the theme “Accelerate Action” emphasising the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality. It calls for increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres.