The Women’s Advisory Committee (WAC) of the Guyana Public Service Union is deeply saddened to have learnt of the passing of Aleena Preetam, a 15-year-old girl from the county of Essequibo, who died as a result of heart failure and anemia.
Aleena herself still a minor— cradled a life only one month old. She was found resting beside her infant, an image of a mother and child bound in a stillness no family should ever know.
Her untimely death is heartbreaking, distressing, and a brief reminder that sexual violence against women and the girl child in Guyana is now of epidemic proportion. It is a painful reminder that too many of our young girls are placed in circumstances that endanger their health, well-being, and future.
The Committee grieves also for Tiana Chapman, another fifteen-year-old mother from East Bank Berbice, now fighting for breath and tomorrow after enduring unspeakable brutality. Her wounds are not hers alone—they mark the conscience of a nation. She was stabbed 25 times by the father of her child. The brutality of this act compounds the vulnerability of a minor already burdened with adult responsibilities.
The Sexual Offences Act, Section 10 of the Laws of Guyana, clearly stipulates that the age of consent is 16 years and that a child below this age cannot legally give consent to sexual activity. In these two cases, the circumstances strongly suggest that both teenagers were sexually exploited and should have been under protective care, with active investigations instituted by law enforcement authorities.
The Committee calls on the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to commence immediate action in both cases to determine what level of social services intervention was provided, what gaps may have existed, and how similar tragedies can be mitigated in the future to save our children. The Ministry’s role must be accessible, responsive, and proactive, particularly in instances involving minors facing sexual violence and abuse.
The WAC considers these circumstances to be deeply alarming, as children are being compelled to assume responsibilities that should never fall upon minors. It is essential to acknowledge that many of these situations arise from increased vulnerabilities and the fragmentation of family structures, exacerbated by the erosion of labour systems — including the weakening of collective bargaining frameworks and a growing judicial reluctance that once helped safeguard fair wages, decent work, and decent living standards for parents throughout Guyana.
Dignity of women and the girl child is not negotiable. The WAC also urges the Government of Guyana to urgently move toward ratifying Convention 190 of the International Labour Organization, which seeks to end violence and harassment and safeguard the interests of women and girls. Given the current state of affairs in our society, this Convention must find urgent favour as part of a broader framework to strengthen protections and accountability.
There are many other instances of sexual violence involving minors that often go unreported or are insufficiently addressed. The Women’s Advisory Committee is therefore calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding these cases, an assessment of systemic shortcomings, and the implementation of stronger protective mechanisms to ensure that no other child is left vulnerable. As the Committee calls for investigations into both circumstances, it also will make representation to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to be involved in the process as together we seek to build stronger and safer societies for all.
We extend our deepest condolences to the families and community of friends affected, and stand in solidarity with all victims of abuse and violence. Our nation must do more—collectively and urgently—as matters of national importance to safeguard the dignity, wellbeing, and future of our children.
Indira Thakurdin
Chairperson
Women’s Advisory Committee
Guyana Public Service Union