Statement by Hazel Halley-Burnett to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women for the 33 rd Session on the periodic report of the Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.

Thank you Madam Chair. Distinguished Ladies and Gentleman I am HAZEL HALLEY-BURNETT a Director of Women Across Differences, an NGO which works with Women across dividing lines.

I will discuss three issues:

(1) HEALTH

(2) POVERTY

(3) RIGHTS COMMISSIONS

Since the presentation of the last country report there has been no changes in the status of women in our country, the state which is responsible for protecting and respecting the rights of women in fulfillment of the Convention, continue to violate the rights of women by bit providing any special measures or enabling conditions to address the situation.

• HEALTH

There are four areas of concern on health.

(i) CANCERS IN WOMEN

Article 12, Rec No. 24

Statistics indicate that there is a 60% cancer mortality rate for both men and women. There is no sex disaggregated data on cancer mortality to determine the percentage of women as against men. Cervical cancer which is treatable has a mortality rate of 30%. The state is still to establish a treatment center for cancer patients. An NGO some four years ago at great cost provided cesium units for Government to install to help in the treatment of cancers of the cervix. The delay in the installation has been brought to the attention of the Minister of Health who has made repeated promises. To date we await the fulfillment of the promises.

(ii) HIV/AIDS

Rec. No. 24

The National plan for HIV/AIDS lacks/fails to include specific gender component or focus. The plan is therefore weak and ad hoc. The state has abrogated its responsibility to the people and the programme is being implemented by NGOs.

(iii) MATERNITY BENEFITS

Rec. No. 25 (16), Article 11 (2a)

The failure of the state to comply with the Convention in relation to the enactment of legislation is a blatant disregard and disrespect for the women who comprise 51% of the population, the childbearing age accounting for some 30%. The fact that only women become pregnant shows the discrimination well.

(iv) TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY

Rec. No. 24, Article 12

Although legislation has been enacted since in the early 1990’s the State has not made any effort to provide the services to facilitate the sage termination of pregnancies at any of the State owned institutions. Recently, the Minister of Health gave an unacceptable excuse for the non-provision of the service.

The second issue I will discuss is

(2) POVERTY & UNEMPLOYMENT

Rec. No. 19, Article 6

SPECIAL MEASURES and strategies to address the needs and efforts of women and poverty remain as paper work to be implemented. As a result, women have reverted to what is referred to as survival strategies (become sex workers) to maintain their households. This give rise to other issues related to Health, Violence, exploitation and the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.

The third issue I will talk about is

(3) RIGHTS COMMISSION

Although the Constitution provides for the inclusion of Gender Neutral language, this has been met with constant resistance. This therefore contravenes Article 1 of CEDAW. The failure of the State to establish the Constitutional Commissions even though all logistics have been completed indicates the level of disrespect for women at the highest level of the State.

The Women’s Affairs Bureau which is the focal point for Government, remains inadequately staffed and untrained, as well as under-exposed and has been tardy in its work. While there is an existing policy, this was reviewed to confirm with the amended Consitution. There is no Plan of Action, resulting in the ad hoc programmes it has been involved in. Most of these programmes are politically related. Other programmes relate only to the observances of International Women’s Day and International Day for the Eradication of Violence.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The Government should be advised to take immediate steps to cimply with the Convention as it relates to women’s health and biological functions by:

• The immediate establishment of the Cancer treatment center;
• The national plan for HIV/AIDS which must include a gender specific component of focus
• The enactment of Maternity legislation
• Immediately put systems and structures in place at Government institutions to provide for the safe termination of pregnancies.

2. The Government should take immediate steps to amend the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper/Policy so as to make it gender friendly which would address the needs of women.

3. The Government should also be advised to:

• Remove all barriers which hinder the establishment of the Women and Gender Equality Commission which is intended to monitor the implementation of the Convention.
• Take immediate steps to approve the National Policy on Women
• Develop a national plan of action for women
• Provide trained staff for the National Machinery

Details of these issues could be found in the shadow report already presented.

This page was last updated on May 10, 2005

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