(Wednesday 16th October 2019 Issue)
Haddy
Mboge-Barrow, a victim of child marriage who testified before the Truth,
Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) on Tuesday, has blamed the
government of The Gambia for contributing to the right violations of victims,
saying they violated the 2013 Domestic Violence Act.
Born
in Niamina Dankunku, Mrs Mboge-Barrow stated that the Security Sector Reform
(SSR) should touch on education, law enforcement and to institutionalize
policies, adding that heads of the security agencies should come out clearly if
they are part of any gender based violation.
Mrs
Mboge-Barrow who graduated as community health nurse, with a Diploma in
Integrated role and development, and gender and development, explained that
police stations are not gender friendly and victims are not treated well.
She
said when some adults are raped and they go to the police station to report,
some of the officers will not believe it and will tell them that no one can
rape an adult. She said nurses and police do not understand how to handle
victims of sexual violations.
According
to her, some cases are reported where a father rapes his biological daughter,
saying the culture of silence is contributing to more cases of gender-based
violations. “The one-stop center for victims of sexual violation should also
look at means in developing and protecting victims of sexual violation.”
According
to Mrs Mboge-Barrow, when a case is reported to the police, it will take them
several years before acting on it, adding that the prosecution of gender-based
violence also delays the case sometime, which discourages victims, leading to
the withdrawal of the case.
A
one-time coordinator of the Network Against Gender-based Violence, who also
worked at The Gambia Family Planning Association on sexual and reproductive
health and right, highlighted that in The Gambia, gender-based violence starts
from the day a woman gives birth.
She
said when a woman is delivered of a girl, some people will be saying why she
didn’t bring a boy. “FGM, sexual and child marriage are also another form of
violence.”
The
witness, who established the Network Against Gender-based Violence in 2019,
said they started the work in 2010, saying the aims and objectives are to
minimize or eradicate gender-based violence through sensitization.
She
however indicated that the data on sexual violence in 2014 totaled 92, adding
that 23 were adults and 69 were children and the youngest was 18 months.
She
recommended for the University of The Gambia to introduce a degree in social
work and challenged them to be researching and giving feedbacks on concrete
evidence of gender-based violation.
