The long-awaited Women and Gender Equality Commission will replace the National Commission on Women and it is expected to play a more pivotal role with responsibilities to address gender issues, promote the advancement of women in society and file reports to international organisations.

The commission will be dealing also with all policies and programmes at the highest level to bring into effect the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, the Government Information Agency reported.

The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security is coordinating the nomination process for this commission which will be a 15-member body with persons being selected from 22 women and human rights entities countrywide.

Some of the entities include the AFC Women’s Arm, Anglican Mothers’ Union, the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana, the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha-Mahila Mandalee, the National Congress of Women, the National Commission on Women, Red Thread Women’s Development Project, the Women’s Progressive Organ-isation, civil society, the Trades Union Congress and the private sector.

According to GINA, the final stage of the nomination process will take place tomorrow at the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security conference room.

And the persons nominated by the group of entities will be forwarded to the select parliamentary group whose responsibility will be to decide the final 15 persons who will be the members of the Women and Gender Equality Commission.