New gender equality seal to ensure safety and fairness at workplaces  

Ministry of Human Services and Social Security on Wednesday launched the National Gender Equality and Empowerment Seal, a necessary step to ensure workplaces take gender equality seriously.

Dr. Vindhya Persaud, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, during the launch event at the Duke Lodge Hotel, said this Seal empowers workplaces and holds them accountably in creating safe and fair workplaces as a national responsibility.

“We need to start looking at all of the organisations and not seeing gender balance as tokenism or wanting to check a box,” the Minister said.

It was established as a national response to data showing that 85 percent of domestic‐violence survivors are women between 20 and 39, the core of Guyana’s workforce.

With many cases unreported, women continue to face discrimination, sexual harassment, and workplace bias. Women also make up only about 40 per cent of the labor force.

To address these gaps, the Ministry supported by UNFPA, UN Women, and UNDP, developed the National Gender Equality and Empowerment Seal, a simple but accountable system. Organisations commit to core gender-equality principles, complete mandatory training, and undergo an assessment that may earn them Bronze, Silver, or Gold accreditation.

Dr. Persaud underscored the importance of women and men are treated with respect and dignity at the workplace.

“When we talk about harassment, abuse and violence at the workplace, it is speaking to an area that was off limit, where people never really looked at.

“We look more at what happens in the home environment but now we need to build all the spaces including the digital space,” she said.

Kristia Ramlagan-Prescott, the Secretary of the GCCI, emphasised how financial dependency traps many women.

“Having a sort of income can remove the vulnerability that comes into living.

“We know that ending gender-based violence should be everyone’s concern, achieving gender-based and equality empowerment is also everyone’s concern,” she said.

Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning Keoma Griffith and Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation, Zulfikar Ally committed that their ministries will collaborate hand-in-hand to support the government in ensuring companies and agencies are trained and can attain this seal. Several Private Sector representatives also committed to championing this cause as it can greatly benefit companies as international companies aim to form strategic partnerships with companies that have accreditation in various areas including ensuring that workers are safe and respected.