Telephone Number: 592-02-54362
Fax: 592-2-73497
 
 

The Women’s Affairs Bureau (WAB) established in 1981 is the unit within the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, which gives technical advice on issues relating to the National Policy on women. It is managed by an Administrator who is assisted by two Women’s Affairs Officers.
 
 

MISSION STATEMENT: TO WORK TOWARDS THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN, TO PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND TO ENSURE THEIR INTEGRATION IN THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY

 

THE SERVICES OFFERED BY THE BUREAU ARE AS FOLLOWS:
 

	Welfare and General counseling to women beset by social and economic problems
	Training in small business management for female entrepreneurs.
	Counseling for small business entrepreneurs.
	Training in project preparation, implementation and management.
	Dissemination of Information on the historical as well as current status of the women’s movement, the significant issues arising from world conferences and related developmental issues concerning gender
	Dissemination of Information on gender and development in Guyana to international and regional agencies such as the Commonwealth Secretariat, CIM/OAS, UNIFEM, UNDP, UNICEF, CIDA and other bureaux and agencies includingCaricom.  Most of the information provided is in the format of responses to questionnaires received.

 

The services provided by this department are available to women in the ten administrative regions of the country.

To serve women in the interior locations, Regional Women Affairs Committees have been established and are conveniently located within the various Regional Administrative Headquarters. These local Committees serve as liaisons between the Regions and the Bureau and are responsible for the implementation of Women and Development programmes in the Regions. They deal with local issues, referring matters to the Bureau as might be necessary. They also serve as focal points in the informal network of women’s organisations throughout the Country.
 
 

OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU

The Bureau advises on matters of policy and programmes, and receives technical support from the following two bodies which were established in accordance with the NATIONAL POLICY ON WOMEN (1996).

                            (a) The National Commission on Women
                            (b) The Inter–Ministry Committee
 
 

THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON WOMEN.

This body has commissioned the following research reports, which serve as valuable information support for the work of the BUREAU, particularly in dealing with specialized issues.

	The legal status of women - (1998)
	Indigenous Women – (1997)
	The Girl Child in Guyana – (1997)
	Women and Human Rights in Guyana – (1997)
	Women, the environment and Sustainable Development – (1997)
	Women with Disabilities – (1998)
	Women and Health – (1998)
	Women and poverty -(1997)

This body is made up of senior technical officers from nineteen (19) Ministries and agencies.  In addition to technical support provided, this committee has as one of its major responsibilities the promotion of gender mainstreaming in all Government Departments.

In general the Bureau serves the women of Guyana in the following ways:
 

	Representing the interest of women on all occasions locally, regionally and at the international level.
	Involvement in the formulation and implementation wherever feasible, of all policies on women.
	Sensitizing women to gender issues
	Counselling and advising women on
	Matters of domestic violence Spousal abuse Sexual harassment
	The provision of technical and financial support to non-governmental women’s organisations in their programmes
	Initiating research on the integration and advancement of women
	Promoting gender equity in all spheres of activity
	Promoting all initiatives at the removal of all forms of discrimination against women
	Providing advice on small business ventures
	Entrepreneurial Development

           Contact could be made with the Bureau by telephone or by personal visits: