Mothers’ Day is a very special occasion when families unite to celebrate mothers of households, honouring publicly motherhood, while reflecting on the enormous challenges Mothers face to birth communities and nations. The initial concept of Mothers’ Day was to advocate for an end to the carnage created by wars on households when sons were brutally slayed on battlefields, creating great anxiety, anguish and pain in the hearts of Mothers. Today the celebration of Mother’s Day is often extended to other figures in our lives who have played a role is raising us to be well rounded individuals and productive contributors of society.
Mothers are dynamic women that combine deva and give direction to children, while instilling values, shaping cultures, habits and practices that over time have become traditions. Mothers are those selfless and loving beings, who sacrifice themselves willingly for the good of all. Mothers are pillars of strength that have taken on many roles within the lives of our people. Their roles in the domestic environment involve being caregivers, counselors, tutors and playmates, just to name a few. It is because of Mothers that communities, countries and the world have seen much diversity and development.
Despite the hectic and demanding domestic lives of Mothers, when they step out from that environment they continue to perform and produce positive outcomes in the professional arenas, pushing boundaries, and surpassing the proverbial glass ceilings to secure leadership positions at the highest levels. Worldwide also, single parent households are predominantly Mothers who straddle both domestic and professional lives.
Nevertheless, today, Mothers continue to suffer several forms of abuse and gender related violence and biases, both at home and in the world of work. Therefore, on this Mothers’ Day 2024, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) reiterates the call for the Parliament of Guyana to Ratify International Labour Organisation Convention 190 (ILO C190) and its Recommendations 206. Domestic Violence and Violence and Harassment in the World of Work continues. As a Member State of the ILO, Guyana has an obligation to adopt these standards. This is the first international treaty to recognize the presence of violence and harassment in the world of work. It is one of the safeguards to protect workers, especially women, who are predominantly the victims of violence and harassment. The GPSU wrote both Presidents Granger and Ali to have this Convention ratified, however, for inexcusable reasons the ratification is still outstanding.
The GPSU strongly condemns and discourages this atrocious conduct of violence and harassment, while entreating those who perpetrate such acts of abuse to desist. The Legislature, Judiciary, the Guyana Public Service and the Guyana Police Force, have significant roles to enforce to the full extent of the law penalties and prosecution for acts of violence and harassment against women, and to offer much more protection to women. The societal scourge of domestic violence and harassment have devastating consequences on households and despite efforts to reduce and eradicate this curse from our society, it nevertheless persists. Therefore, much more has to be done.
From the perspective of labour, Mothers are the bedrock of every society; the lack of socioeconomic empowerment and equality continues to hamper their growth and development, and by extension that of their families. Economic inequality restricts basic necessities of life. Therefore, the GPSU is firm and resolute that policies must benefit households, in an equitable distributive manner.
May 12 is also International Nurses Day. Many women in this profession are also Mothers, and are facing the same challenges of Motherhood, coupled with the demands of maintaining professional standards in the healthcare sector while being underappreciated and inadequately resourced and supported. The GPSU calls upon all of society to recognize and support the important role that Mothers play both in the home as well as during execution of their professional duties.
May God continue to bless all Mothers, on this Mothers’ Day Sunday May 12, 2024, and forevermore. May God continue to bless all Mothers with the wisdom, knowledge and understanding in their pursuit of all things good, noble and favourable, while holding them strong in times of persecution and other forms of challenges along life’s pathways.
On behalf of the President, Executive Council Officers and Membership of the GPSU best wishes are extended to all Mothers in Guyana and the world over for a Happy Mother’s Day. On this day GPSU celebrates and honors Motherhood. The GPSU also urges all Mothers, in and out of its membership to have a safe, enjoyable and Happy Mothers’ Day 2024. As we each in our own way honour and celebrate Motherhood, a tribute to all Mothers is extended as follows:
Happy Mothers’ Day
A Mother’s Love is something
that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away.”
– Helen Steiner Rice