Men empowerment to be focus of Human Services Ministry on ‘International Men’s Day’

Human Services and Social Security Ministry said that Men will be placed on centre stage at
their “Engagement”. This event is being held to commemorate ‘International Men’s Day’.
The programme slated for Friday November 19 is geared at creating a safe space for men to be
candid about issues they face. It also seek to dispell social norms and creating room for gender
equality. The conference will be held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal East
Coast Demerara. “We have a wonderful plan for men’s day and I know sometimes men feel like
the focus is always on women, so they will get their fair share of what the women got through
‘We Lift’, and so their celebration is two-fold,” Dr. Vindhya Persaud said.
The Human Services Minister stressed that the social gathering for men of all walks of life and
disciplines is a collaborative effort between the ministry and its Gender Affairs Bureau. She said
that the bureau is charged with establishing men’s groups across the country. Dr. Persaud noted
that representatives of the groups will engage in discussions surrounding policies and
programmes. She said that these will be useful and applicable to the modern man.
The minister said that following the conference, a number of activities will be showcased in
various areas that men find interesting. These include fitness, and health and cooking.
Meanwhile, the ministry is working on creating a document focused on addressing issues faced
by men.
The minister stressed that the event will enable her ministry to implement new programmes
better suited to the needs and livelihood of men.