THE Women’s Affairs Bureau (WAB) of Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security and the National Commission on Women (NCW) recently completed consultations on the National Policy for Women in Hogg Island, Essequibo River, WAB Administrator Hymawattie Lagan reported.
She said, in the process, she updated the islanders on Government’s commitment to improve the lives of women and NCW will promote gender issues and act as an adviser to Government on related issues.
WAB and NCW previously consulted in Georgetown and Berbice and Ms Lagan said they received favourable responses in those places.
They plan to continue in Regions Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) and 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice).
Lagan told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that, during the consultations, women raised concerns about education and training, better health care and capacity building and recommendations coming out of the exchanges will be used to draft a new policy.
The objective would be to improve the status of women and the quality of life in the entire society, she said.
Lagan said quality of women’s lives has improved significantly over the last few years and there is now more support for them and their families, with annual training, a greater number in Government and additional counselling facilities.
GINA said Ministries of Health, Labour, Human Services and Social Security and Housing and Water have implemented a number of programmes and policies to make the lives of women better.
Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security continues to address women issues in rural and urban areas and has established Regional Women’s Desks targeting their interests.
Through its Difficult Circumstances Unit (DCU), a large number of women, especially single parents, receive financial and food support.
The Ministry has also provided millions of dollars to purchase uniform material and textbooks for needy schoolchildren.
In addition, approximately 300 health centres were established and rehabilitated countrywide, to make it easier for women especially.
According to GINA, at the end of 2000, there were 141 health posts, 119 health centres and 20 district hospitals while the prevention of mother to child disease transmission and several other immunisation programmes are ongoing.
GINA said baby friendly initiatives have been implemented and beastfeeding promotions are continuing.
Ministry of Housing and Water has distributed 50,000 house lots over the past 10 years and developed basic infrastructure, such as roads and drainage in housing schemes and made arrangements with banking institutions for persons in need to access small loans for building homes, GINA said.