For a mother seeking employment, access to reliable childcare can determine whether she is able to enter the workforce.
For a person living with a disability, learning a practical skill can open the door to employment and greater independence. And for a survivor of violence, being able to quickly access legal advice, counselling or shelter can provide a crucial pathway to safety.
These are among the realities shaping the government’s approach to social development, as women, children, senior citizens and persons living with disabilities are placed at the centre of programmes to improve opportunities, protection and empowerment.
The PPP/C Government, through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, has expanded interventions across childcare, women’s empowerment, disability support, entrepreneurship, child protection and family violence services.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, said the broad range of initiatives reflects the government’s responsibility to respond to people at different stages and circumstances in their lives.
“We are just about a year since coming back into government and the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security would have benefited significantly in the year.
We have looked at literally every department under the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security because, as the name suggests, it’s human services, so we work with everyone,” she said.
One of the ministry’s priorities has been addressing a challenge faced by many parents, particularly women, finding safe and affordable care for their children while they work or study.
Thus, two new early childhood day-and-night care centres have been opened in Region Four, providing parents with an opportunity to apply for free childcare.
However, this concept extends beyond simply providing somewhere for children to stay.
“It’s not only the care aspect of things, it is the early childhood development element, the day and night care option, as well as training in parenting,” Minister Persaud explained.
The ministry is working to expand the model to other regions, while also developing community-based centres that would provide care for children and senior citizens.
The approach will also have a wider economic impact.
People with an interest in caregiving can be trained to establish small businesses offering affordable services within their communities.
At the same time, parents and relatives who previously remained at home because of caregiving responsibilities could have greater opportunities to work or study.
Minister Persaud believes this is significant for women. She noted that men currently account for a greater share of the labour force, increasing women’s participation remains an important objective of the ministry.
That push for greater economic independence is also being pursued through the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN).
Over five years, more than 25,000 people were trained through the programme, with the overall number is now approaching 30,000.
Training is also evolving beyond technical skills.
Participants are being exposed to entrepreneurship, business literacy and guidance on preparing business plans and proposals.
These skills are intended to help them transform what they have learnt into sustainable sources of income.
Through the Inter-American Development Bank-support initiative between 2025 and 2026, hundreds of women have also received assistance to establish businesses.
The support has included women who experienced abuse and violence, survivors of trafficking in persons and vulnerable persons seeking economic independence.
The same philosophy is behind the ministry’s ‘Starting Up Strong’ programme.
Implemented through the Difficult Circumstances Unit, the initiative provides people with the equipment needed to begin or expand their businesses.
“We want people to be less dependent and more independent,” Dr Persaud said.
For the government, this empowerment also includes persons living with disabilities.
The ministry established its Learning Lab in 2023, but has since moved beyond the facility by taking skills training into communities across several regions.
Between 2025 and 2026, persons living with disabilities received training in areas including climate-smart and sustainable agriculture.
Joinery has also been added, with more areas expected to be introduced soon.
While economic empowerment is central, protection remains equally as important.
Child protection services have been strengthened with the establishment of a rapid response unit dedicated to handling reports of child abuse at night.
The measure is intended to ensure urgent cases can receive attention beyond normal working hours.
Support for people experiencing family violence has also been expanded through Hope and Justice Centres.
The centres provide access to free legal assistance, shelter, medical services and opportunities to report abuse.
Technology is also being used to make those services easier to reach. A WhatsApp chat feature now allows people to seek counselling, legal support and other assistance from their mobile devices, reducing some of the barriers that could prevent vulnerable people from seeking help.
From childcare and skills training to business support and protection services, the ministry’s programmes reach people facing vastly different circumstances.
“For us, it’s not just achievements. It’s the kind of impact that they make in people’s lives, the transformation that everyone is achieving and the ability in the ministry to understand the needs on the ground.”
That understanding, she said, will provide these groups greater independence, greater security and, ultimately, the opportunity to participate more fully in Guyana’s development.