Guyana’s President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, used his address at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week to shine a spotlight on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark global framework for advancing women’s rights and gender equality.
Calling the declaration “a blueprint for achieving gender equality which, despite transformative strides, remains significantly unrealized in most parts of the world,” President Ali emphasized the urgent need for renewed global commitment to its principles. He noted that while progress has been made, systemic inequalities persist, and women in many regions continue to face barriers in education, economic participation, and leadership.
In outlining Guyana’s domestic efforts, President Ali highlighted achievements in women’s empowerment across multiple sectors. He pointed to gender parity in education at all levels, increased representation of women in leadership roles within government, parliament, and the private sector, and expanded opportunities for land and home ownership. Job creation in both traditional and emerging industries, he said, has further strengthened women’s socio-economic standing.
Recognizing the challenges women face in balancing work and family responsibilities, Ali announced expanded childcare support initiatives, including the establishment of day and night care centers to enable women to participate more fully in the workforce. These measures, he stressed, are designed not only to foster equity but also to boost national productivity and competitiveness.
The President also underscored the collaborative role of international partners in Guyana’s progress, including training and leadership development opportunities supported by multilateral agencies. At the same time, he emphasized the importance of building local capacity to ensure that gains are sustainable and not overly dependent on external expertise.
Framing gender equality as central to global development, President Ali called on member states to accelerate their commitments to the Beijing Platform, warning that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cannot be realized without empowering women and girls. “Our survival as economies and as societies,” he declared, “depends on ensuring equal opportunity and participation for women in every sphere of life.”
As the UN marks its 80th anniversary, the President’s intervention underscored that the promises of 1995 remain unfinished business. For Guyana, he suggested, the task now is to continue translating commitments into practical policies that give women the tools to lead, thrive, and drive the nation’s development.
