The Government of Guyana is expanding programmes aimed at empowering women through new initiatives focused on childcare, business development and access to markets, says Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud.
During her appearance on the Starting Point Podcast, which aired on April 26, Dr Persaud said these initiatives will build on the progress achieved over the past five years, where 21,000 women were trained.
She said the government is moving beyond training to create pathways for women to enter the “care economy” and establish sustainable businesses, with new efforts that now include a co-investment model for community childcare centres, expanded support for early childhood development and special needs education.
Persaud said the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) has shifted to a more targeted approach, tailoring training to labour market needs rather than repeating standard courses. Participants are being prepared to transition into employment or entrepreneurship through systems such as the government’s investment support framework, she said.
“We look at the labour force, we look at the labour market. We look at the needs in our country. What is it and where is it? It’s targeted. So we have invested significant allocations, financial allocations, as well as time towards taking women through the care system, so they are poised to enter the care economy,” Persaud said.
Beyond care services, the Human Services Ministry is broadening avenues for women into areas such as agro-processing, climate-smart agriculture, design, digital skills and marketing. Persaud said work is ongoing with the Ministry of Agriculture and other partners to align training with sectors seen as stable or growing within the economy.
To support business growth, the government has introduced a revamped WIIN online marketplace, allowing women to advertise and sell products digitally, including through mobile payment systems. Persaud said partnerships are also being developed to improve access to point-of-sale technology to help entrepreneurs transition toward cashless transactions.
“…We were able to take them to the point where they can do several things. One, they can have their products for export. We did make those connections there. They can have their products in hotels and other places that are tourist-friendly, and they can be in visible spaces… where their products move from just them having a small market to them having a bigger market. We’ve made those connections. We’ve gotten those people on board. We’ve worked with them, and a lot of that is already happening,” Persaud said.
The minister said the goal is to ensure women, particularly those transitioning off public assistance, can move from training to income generation and eventually business ownership, including through models like consortia.
She added that upcoming programmes will continue to focus on equipping women with practical skills and the financial access needed to participate more meaningfully in Guyana’s evolving economy.