PM appeal to Guyanese men to embrace shared responsibility

Prime Minister, Mark Phillips today encouraged men gathered at the Arthur Chung Conference
Centre in observance of International Men’s Day (IMD) to commit to better overall relationships
with women.
The Prime Minister, who was the guest speaker at the event, organised by the Human Services
and Social Security Ministry, said that women are now prominently placed in most sections of
society and men must understand this positive evolution and embrace the concept of shared
responsibility. “Men must be able to cope with the developing role of women in the
society…shared responsibility does not diminish your role in the home with your family or at
your place of work…The more opportunities we give to women, it’s better for us as men,”
Phillips said.
Among the men gathered were several representatives of the armed forces, civil society and
religious organisations. Phillips noted that the family as a unit plays an important role in
nurturing boys and provides a strong foundation for men. As a result, he said that men must
rethink their roles within the family and begin to take it more seriously. “As men, we cannot just
see ourselves as the sole breadwinner and nothing else. We have to get involved in what I call an
expansion of our duties…the concept of shared responsibility is very important in the modern
home. This is no longer the 90s. This is 2021, shared responsibility is perhaps the most important
principle of success in any home,” he declared.

Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud, in her remarks said that her
Ministry will promote the concept of shared responsibility. “It’s reassuring that a lot of men are
stepping into this ambit of shared responsibility, but we do need to have a discussion around that,
as we also do about the expectations of men….Today I do have the pleasure of launching a
campaign around shared responsibility where men will understand what we mean by shared
responsibility and where they can participate in the responsibilities that are traditionally seen as
female,” Dr Persaud said.
Today’s event was called ‘EngageMENt’ and featured several panel discussions on the
expectations and needs of masculinity and men’s health and wellbeing. Among those attending
were US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch and European Union Ambassador to
Guyana, Fernando Ponz Cantó.