World Population Day 2023: Guyana making concerted effort to reduce gender inequality – Pres Ali

As the world celebrates World Population Day 2023, President Dr Irfaan Ali has assured that advances are being made by the Government in a number of sectors while they push to reduce gender inequality.
July 11 marks World Population Day, a day that sets out to raise awareness of global population issues… particularly vulnerable populations. According to President Ali, women and girls are among the most vulnerable in populations and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government is making a concerted effort to protect and empower them.
“Gender disparities pose obstacles to women and girls realising their full potential. This is why my Government is making a concerted effort to reduce gender inequality in education, employment, health, political representation and decision-making,” the President said.

“Guyana subscribes to equal opportunities for women and girls. We believe that by dismantling obstacles which stand in the way of female empowerment, we can unleash their full potential, thereby contributing to the well-being of society.”
According to President Ali, education remains a vital area of focus when it comes to reducing inequalities. He said that this is why the Government launched initiatives such as the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL).
The President revealed that GOAL has become a potent tool in providing women with the knowledge and skills, backed by certification, to allow them to grasp the increasing opportunities generated by Guyana’s economic transformation.
“Guyana also is working assiduously to improve healthcare, including maternal and reproductive healthcare. We have declared a policy of zero tolerance against domestic violence. As we know, women are the principal victims of these crimes,” the President further said.
“The Government of Guyana is also empowering women economically. We have an initiative to encourage women and youth in agriculture, thus opening income opportunities for our women. Also, we are catalysing female entrepreneurship to boost female participation in business.”
Meanwhile, President Ali noted that the theme for this year’s World Population Day, “Unleashing the power of gender equality: “Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities”, is an important reminder of the continuing need to address gender inequality.
Pointing out that the world’s population continues to rapidly increase and is projected to surpass 8.5 billion by the end of this decade, the President noted the urgency of making sure women and girls, historically the victims of marginalisation, are provided with better opportunities for economic, political, professional and social empowerment. He made it clear that Guyana will continue to do its part.
“By investing more efforts in reducing gender gaps and empowering women and girls, we can lay the foundation for more inclusive and prosperous societies while reversing the historical injustices meted out to women and girls.”
“On this World Population Day 2023, Guyana pledges its continued support for efforts to unleash the power of gender equality. Guyana is committed to creating a society where women and girls can aspire to realise their potential, fulfil their dreams and contribute their unique talents to shape a better world for future generations,” the President further said.
Last year, Guyana was favourably ranked on the Global Gender Gap Report 2022 produced by the Switzerland-based World Economic Forum, with the report listing Guyana at 35 out of 146 countries and second in the Caribbean for reducing gender inequality.
According to the report, Guyana received a score of 0.752. The report notes that Guyana’s score is a 0.024 improvement on its 2021 index score. Barbados, ranked at number 30 with a score of 0.765, was the only Caribbean country to be ranked above Guyana.
Meanwhile, Jamaica, which was ranked at 38 with a score of 0.749, was the next closest country. When it comes to the entire Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Region, Guyana is ranked number six.
The report notes that in Guyana, men and women have near equal rights when it comes to access to financial services, as well as access to land and non-land assets. Meanwhile, there are equal rights to inheritances for widows and daughters.
When it comes to education and skills, there were only three categories where more men than women existed in the workforce. For instance, 38.2 per cent of the workforce in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary sciences are women, compared to 61.7 per cent men.