EDUCATION Minister Priya Manickchand and Human Services and Social Security Minister, Jennifer Webster, who are just back after attending the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)’s annual meeting in the United States, yesterday registered their disappointment over what they deem lack of research in questions posed by some of the organisation’s members.
The forum which opened on July 9 saw the Guyana delegation presenting its 7th and 8th reports which cover the period 2004 – 2010.
Several questions were raised which according to Minister Webster were centred on CEDAW’s convention issues and which could have been avoided had the committee members embarked upon responsible research.
She noted that at no time was the Guyana delegation’s presentation during the international forum unclear, as it related to the country’s mandate and its role to further advance women’s rights.
The committee’s members during their questioning session accused the government of not having Magistrates’ Courts in many parts of the country. Attributing their ‘information’ to ‘alternative’ sources, they also stated that only 13 percent of children in the hinterland have access to education.
This did not go down well with the Education Minister who expressed concern over the questions posed and their merit.
“We expressed concern at the frequent use of the ‘alternative sources’ which they credit their questions on, especially when there was information that was publicly available that refutes the information given by those alternative sources,” Minister Manickchand said.
“How can only 13 percent of our children in the hinterland have access to education when our record shows that there is a higher enrolment in the hinterland region than there is on the coast,” she said.
Minister Manickchand pointed out that while the forum is highly respected, there is dire need for a higher level of research by members of the Committee while compiling their questions, instead of relying wholly on alternative sources who have been blatantly peddling misinformation.
“We have the greatest of respect for members of the Committee and for the process itself and that is why we were there because we wanted to make sure that all this work we put into getting the report done that Guyana was there to not only highlight what it has done but, to give account to issues which were not done,” Minister Manickchand pointed out.
Despite the fact that the annual meeting has not yet concluded, a release has already been issued on Guyana, stating that the country needs more access to justice, when this subject is in fact a success story altogether.
Since the launch of legal aid in the 1970s, the service was accessible only in the capital city. However, this has been significantly revamped and now legal aid is accessible in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10.
In its fight to have equal rights for all, Guyana signed the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities and is in the process of implementing the declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples.
Its periodic report on the Convention of the Rights of the Child(CRC) was also brought up to date in 2010. Government has committed to the implementation of the CEDAW and the advancement of women’s rights and the attainment of true equality for women in society, to ensure that progress continues to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women.
“As a matter of policy, the government continues to prioritise strong commitment to investment in the social sector…it is our firm conviction that no investment is more important than that made in our people,” Minister Webster pointed out.
In Guyana’s opening statement to CEDAW’s annual meeting, the committee was briefed on the many legislative reforms that address children’s rights and protection which were enacted by government and, access to lands by Amerindian communities.
According to Minister Webster, while Amerindians now have more access to lands, six modern laws were enacted during 2009/2011 which will significantly bring the country in line with its treaty obligations to the CEDAW and the CRC.
“Equal access to education is another area of priority as it relates to the convention. Whilst Guyana can proudly say it has virtually achieved universal primary education, the most significant advancement has been equal access to primary and secondary education by Amerindian children,” she said.
In 1992, only one secondary school existed in the hinterland. Today, there are 13 such schools, with dormitories which offer Amerindian students equal rights for the first time as those of the coast.
The CEDAW meeting will conclude on July 27.
Source: https://guyanachronicle.com/2012/07/14/manickchand-webster-disappointed-over-questions-posed-during-cedaws-annual-meeting-call-for-more-responsible-research-when-compiling-questions-on-guyanas-progress