Community Conversation on Males and Gender Violence in Guyana

In anticipation of the full Report of the one-day seminar on 7th December and ? day workshop on 8th December 2010: "Community Conversation on Males and Gender Violence in Guyana," led by the Government of Guyana Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Justice:

1. A national movement will be supported towards the wellness, wellbeing, health and development of males
2. For a period of 11 months (up to 24 November 2011), five strategies will be applied to address males and gender violence in Guyana:
   1. The National Roll-Out of these Strategies. Activities, under this strategy, would include: Community Mapping of available services and referral systems; Stakeholder Conversations (The UN Joint Team; USG PEPFAR, and other key development and technical partners); Regional Conversations (Linden, Berbice, Essequibo and a Hinterland Region); Local Conversations (proposed 46, by the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Welfare; Constituency-specific Conversations);
   2. The forging of Partnerships with sectors and organisations, towards integration of gender violence prevention and support in their work (Key are: The Education Sector; the Health Sector; the Guyana Business Coalition on AIDS; the Guyana Faith-and-HIV Coalition; organisations that work with mobile and migrant populations, such as the IOM, the Guyana Red Cross Society, Guyana Youth Challenge, Guyana Geology and Mines;, the Uniformed Services, and the Judiciary);
   3. 'Inoculation:' Resistance building for boys and men. against gender violence;
   4. 'Communicators' Strategy with the media; the entertainment industry, such as DJs, music producers and lyricists;
   5. 'Communities' Gender Violence Competency Self-assessments, national, regional and as part of the constituency conversations.

Moreover, the concept of Gender Justice will be defined for Guyana, to express the goal of wellness and well-being for both genders.

A preliminary definition is proposed to be: "In the recognition that there are real differences between the sexes, 'Gender Justice' is achieved in Guyana when boys and girls, men and women have clearly identified, uncontested, respected and protected rights and opportunities to realise their full potential."

Efforts towards "Gender Justice" do not deflect, delay or replace the trajectory to achieve "Gender Equality." On the contrary, achieving and sustaining "Gender Justice" are key milestones on the path to the achievement of Gender Equality.

Definition

• Gender Equality refers to the equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and men and girls and boys.
• Equality does not mean that women and men will become the same but that womens and mens rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female.
• Gender equality implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are taken into consideration - recognizing the diversity of different groups of women and men.
• Gender equality is not a "womens issue" but should concern and fully engage men as well as women.
• Equality between women and men are seen both as a human rights issue and as a precondition for, and indicator of, sustainable people-centered development.

Gender equality is based on the idea that no individual should be less equal in opportunity, access to resources and benefits or in human rights than others. It is based on the notion that "all people are created equal therefore should have equal share of the worlds resources and benefits". In this case, therefore, women and men have an equal right to access and control over resources and benefits, participation in politics and decision making, gainful employment, and so forth.

Gender equity, though often used interchangeably with gender equality, is a very distinct concept. Equity programmes favour treating women and men differently in order to achieve the equal status of women and men. Such programmes are based on the premise that if women and men were treated the same way (equally) there would be a risk of reaching unfair outcomes due to original disparities.

This national movement in Guyana, towards the wellness and development of males themselves, and for the sake of male wellbeing per s?, is imperative.

"Men have balls" and this must be recognized, respected and acted on!

By Dr. Ruben F. del Prado, UNAIDS Country Coordinator in Guyana.