US Ambassador to Guyana: Women Play Key Roles in Matters of Security and Conflict

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The United States Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, Tuesday told a Caribbean women, peace and security conference that matters of security have long been viewed through a military-centric and traditionally male lens.

“Historically, while their contributions may have been largely unrecognized, women have always been critical in all security issues and across all sectors, playing key roles in conflict, as combatants and non-combatants, and creating the conditions for enduring peace, protection, and prevention of conflict,” she told the opening of the two-day conference.

She told the participants from the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) and partner nations across the Caribbean that for flexible, responsive, and agile security forces to succeed, women and diverse members of communities must be significantly and meaningfully included.

“For example, at the U.S. Embassy right here in Georgetown, many of our local guards are brave and accomplished women, keeping our staff and facilities safe on a daily basis.”

The US diplomat said that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has reminded everyone that national security threats extend far beyond the battlefield.

“Also, over the past few years, forcible displacement due to conflict, humanitarian crises, persecution, and human rights violations has risen to over 82 million people. Never has a broader understanding of security and inclusive decision making been needed.”

She said the discussions this week will not only focus on gender integration requirements for security and military forces, sexual harassment, and discrimination but also on the need for a gender perspective and mainstreaming within a larger context, such as disaster relief operations and migration.

“Women are often disproportionately impacted by disasters and so their perspectives need to be heard,” she said, adding that the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda was created to better respond to these security challenges by being more inclusive and listening to more voices.

“This is so important considering these stark reminders from the United Nations Security Council 2021 Report on Women, Peace and Security (that) women represent only 23 per cent of delegates in peace processes led or co-led by the United Nations (and) only five per cent of military troops in peace operations are women”.

In addition, in the United States, according to Department of Defense statistics in 2021, the percentage of women active-duty Service Members was 21 per cent in the Air Force; 15 per cent in the Army; nine per cent in the Marines; and 20 per cent in the Navy.

But Lynch said that there certainly has been progress over the years, even as she acknowledged that “clearly more needs to be done to attract women to the military and promote them to positions of leadership”.

She said through the passage of the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017, the United States became the first country in the world with a comprehensive law on WPS.

Washington also released the 2019 U.S. Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security, which established an interagency approach with integrated metrics to measure progress.

The conference here is being attended by the Commander of U.S. Southern Command, General Laura Richardson, as well as Ambassador Jean Manes, Deputy Civilian Commander of U.S. Southern Command.

Lynch said that over the next two days “an accomplished and diverse group of participants” from the 14 participating countries will advance the Women, Peace, and Security agenda.

“This conference will foster greater networks among experts, advocates, and stakeholders across the Caribbean. Just as General Richardson emphasized the importance of mentorship, I want to underscore the critical role of inclusive networks to overcome challenges and advance the tremendous opportunities offered by WPS frameworks, policies, and mindsets.

“As General Richardson noted, we all have a role to play. Men and women alike. Everyone benefits from greater inclusion and gender equity. Our institutions and nations are richer when we all have a voice, so I encourage you to build your networks wide and strong,” she said.

Meanwhile, General Richardson says security threats confronting countries in the Western Hemisphere demand that the domestic security forces partner and work together.

She told a news conference of the need for “integrated deterrence” which she said is a strong network of all partnerships that encompasses the security and defense forces, non-government organizations, industries, and joint services all working together for a “free, secure and prosperous western hemisphere.

“The threats and the challenges that we have are only getting more creative and so the better that we can work together to make all of us stronger, make the neighborhood safer, we have to do that because we are like-minded countries and we believe in the power of partnership,” General Richardson said.