Guyana

(1) There are hereby established the following Commissions, the goals of which are to strengthen social justice and the rule of law -
…
(b) the Women and Gender Equality Commission;
… (Art. 212G)

(1) The Women and Gender Equality Commission shall promote national recognition and acceptance that women’s rights are human rights, respect for gender equality and the protection, development and attainment of gender equality.
(2) The Women and Gender Equality Commission shall consist of persons from each of the categories referred to in subparagraphs (a), (b) and (c), appointed by the President as follows -
(a) not less than five nor more than fifteen members, with expertise in women’s and gender equality issues, nominated by entities, by a consensual mechanism determined by the National Assembly, after the entities which shall include the Women’s Advisory Committee of the Trade Union Congress, are determined by the votes of not less than two-thirds of all the elected members of the National Assembly;
(b) the Administrator of the Women’s Affairs Bureau, by whatever name that office is designated; and
(c) a member who shall be a nominee, without the right to vote, chosen by and from each of the following commissions: the Human Rights Commission, Ethnic Relations Commission, Indigenous Peoples’ Commission, and Rights of the Child Commission. (Art. 212Q)

In addition to the functions specified in article 212J(2), the functions of the Women and Gender Equality Commission are to -
(a) promote the issues related to the enhancement of the status of women, girls and gender issues;
(b) promote the integration of women’s needs and interests and mainstreaming of gender issues;
(c) promote the empowerment of women;
(d) promote women’s rights as human rights;
(e) raise the awareness of the contribution of women and problems faced by women including the recognition and value of unwaged work;
(f) promote women’s needs, interests, and concerns in the wider spectrum of economic and social development and address both the practical and strategic needs of women as being different from those of men;
(g) educate and monitor employers and the public on desirable employment practices in relation to women;
(h) monitor compliance and make recommendations for the compliance with international instruments to which the Government accedes from time to time, including those already acceded to and which relate to the purpose of the Commission;
(i) evaluate any system of personal and family law, customs and practices or any law likely to affect gender equality or the status of women and make recommendations to the National Assembly with regard thereto;
(j) recommend and promote the implementation of legislation and the formulation of policies and measures so as to enhance and protect the status of women;
(k) promote, initiate or cause to be carried out research and the creation of databases on women and gender related issues including those of health, especially reproductive health, violence against women and the family, and their socio-economic and political status, as the Commission may deem relevant or as may be referred to it by the National Assembly;
(l) promote consultation and cooperation with women’s organisations in relation to decision-making that affects the lives of women;
(m) recommend training and technical assistance to support initiatives by and for women and girls; and
(n) promote the participation of women in national decision-making. (Art. 212R)