Connecting Girls inspiring futures And Empowerment of rural women 14th – 15th April 2012
Fellow Gambians, Fellow Women,
Each year, on the 8th March, International Women’s day (IWD), is celebrated worldwide. You will recall that this day, will be commemorated with the objective to highlight the economic, political and social achievements of women and also, to reflect on the challenges encountered, in the promotion of gender equity, equality, and the empowerment of women and girls, at all levels.
In The Gambia, the day will be commemorated on Saturday the 14th April, 2012 due to clashes with UN Commission on the Status of Women, (CSW) which started on the 27th February and is expected to end on the 9th March 2012.
Fellow Gambians, Fellow Women,
This year, the UN global theme for the celebration is, “connecting girls, thus inspiring futures”; this theme, is very important because it calls for involving, educating, and inspiring girls, of all works of life, to reach their full potentials, and enjoy an equally fulfilling life and future.
Taking cognizance of the current global economic crises, which have had its effects on employment and poverty, young people, particularly girls, are most affected, and this could make many, vulnerable to social hazards, particularly HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted disease and other infections, abuse, trafficking and exploitation, among others. This calls for concerted efforts by state institutions, and the private sector partners, to connect girls, economically, politically, socially, and especially, empower them through education and skills development to have a better, and inspiring future. This would also help address health concerns, and wellbeing, of present and future women.
Fellow Gambians, Fellow Women,
The Government of The Gambia, fully recognizes the importance of investing in young people, who are the future leaders of this country. Against this recognition, His Excellency The President, Sheikh Professor Alhagie Dr. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, has created an enabling environment, for every young person, in this country, and challenged that, the sky or space, is the limit, in support of their educational and other pursuits, in line with national priorities. This is manifested by the establishment of institutional and policy frameworks, to address the needs of young people, particularly, the girl child. Among these, are the formulation of a new National Youth Policy, and Investment Plan 2010-2020, and the continued support, to non Traditional skills development for girls, particularly in areas, regarded as fields for boys, through The President’s Girls Empowerment Project (PGEP), free tuition fees for girls, education pursuits by girls in engineering, ICT, construction and auto mechanics, just to name a few. In addition, youth friendly programmes, have been implemented particularly, in the area of sports, to encourage and enhance the participation of girls in the attainment of our national development goals, key amongst which, is ending poverty. I recognize The Gambia Scorpion Female National Football team.
Fellow Gambians, Fellow Women,
“Connecting girls and thus inspiring futures” can only be realized through education. Education, as you know, is the key to empowerment and development, and it’s widely believed, that if you educate a boy, you develop an individual, whereas if you educate a girl, you develop an entire nation, or society.
Education is the key to ending poverty and ensuring a better life for people, in developing countries, especially, women and girls. Therefore, it is important, that, as we celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day, each and every Gambian should think about how best in a positive way to connect with, at least one girl, to inspire her reach her full potentials, and improve her livelihood, just as H.E. The President is doing, through JFP, PEGEP etc.
Fellow Gambians, Fellow Women,
There is no doubt, that a lot of investment has gone into girls’ education. We now have achieved gender parity, at basic level. However, maintaining and sustaining these achievements, ensuring quality and relevance, at all times for girls in particular, to transit to higher levels, remain as challenges.
“Connecting girls, inspiring futures”, could also be done, by encouraging girls to develop their full potentials, in skills development, through various skills training opportunities, and facilities, available through the foresight of His Excellency, The President. The future of women’s career development, also needs attention, in order to improve their capacity, and widen their employment opportunities, in the competitive job market.
Fellow Gambians, Fellow Women,
Most recently, the Government of The Gambia, under the dynamic Leadership, of His Excellency President, Sheikh Professor Alhagie Dr. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, has enacted the Women’s Act, 2010. This Act, seeks to protect and promote, the rights of women and girls, as enshrined, in the 1997 Constitution, of the Second Republic, taking into account, the needs of women and girls, at all levels, in relevant institutions, programmes, and in policies, The Act, also seeks to enforce The Gambia’s international commitments, such as the UN CEDAW, and the AU Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa and the AU Protocol, all of which, seek to protect women and girls’ rights, and inspire them to better their livelihood.
Already, the Ministry of women’s Affairs, and the Women’s Bureau, have taken significant strides, with regards to protecting women and girls’ rights. In consultation, with all stakeholders including State and Non state Actors, the Trafficking in persons Act, the children’s Act 2005, Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Bills 2012, and Strategic Plan, have all been formulated.
Fellow Gambians, Fellow Women,
State and Non state Actors, put in place, policies and programmes, that address the plight of the girl-child. The challenge is, to improve girls’ access to education, protect them against violence and abuse, and prepare them, to assume leadership positions, in critical numbers. Discriminatory cultural and traditional practices, that do not favour, or negatively affect the girl-child, in some quarters continue to persist. Active community involvement, in the implementation of the different laws, and legislations enacted, for the advancement of the girl child, and the protection of children’s rights, remain as challenges.
Fellow Gambians, Fellow Women,
In addition to the UN International theme, and the UN/CSW theme, the Gambian theme, for this year’s celebrations, is “The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, their development and current challenges”
The attainment of gender equity, equality and the empowerment of women, have long been recognized, by Government, as an Important pre-requisite for progress, poverty alleviation, and above all, sustainable development.
To this effect, significant advancements, have been made, in the Gambia’s strive, to attain gender equality, women’s rights, and the empowerment of women, with particular attention, being focused, on the situation of rural women.
Apart from the International commitments, made by The Gambia, on advancing women’s status, the creation of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, under the Office of the Vice President, in 1996, facilitated the harmonization, of these provisions, with our national laws, policies and programmes. The constitution of the Gambia, paid special attention, to gender equality issues, and women’s rights. The Gambia National and Women Empowerment Policy, also includes, a specific component, specifically provided, for the empowerment of women, as an affirmative action to ensure there is no discrimination against women, and give women more access, to productive resources, capital, and related capacity building, social/political empowerment and institutional support services.
One may wonder why dedicate a day, exclusively to the celebration of women? In adopting its resolution, on the observance of the Day, the United National General Assembly, cited the reason that, to recognize the fact that, securing peace and social progress, and the full enjoyment of human rights, and fundamental freedoms, requires the active participation, equality, and development of women.
For the women of the Gambia, the Day symbolizes an occasion, to review how far we have come, in our struggle for equality, peace and development. It is also an opportunity, to unite, network and mobilize for meaningful change, in order to address the double deprivation and discrimination, that women and girls have to struggle with daily.
Fellow Gambians, Fellow Women,
The importance of addressing gender equality, equity and empowerment of women, for national, economic and social development, and the need for increased attention, to rural women’s rights, and the important roles that they play, in agriculture, food security and poverty eradication, are particularly recognized, and highlighted, in the National Gender and Women Empowerment Policy 2010-2020, and the Women’s Act 2010, which specifically states, that every Government Agency, organ, body, authority, public or private institution or enterprise, individual or community shall:
(1) Take into account the particular problems faced by rural women, and the significant roles, rural women play, in the economic survival of their families, including work, in the informal, non-monetized sectors, of the economy, which is not sometimes recognized or appreciated even in the application of the provisions, of this Act, to women in rural areas.
(2) Take all appropriate measures, to eliminate discrimination against women, in the rural areas, in order to ensure, on a basis of equality, between men and women, that they participate in, and benefit from rural development projects.
Fellow Gambians, Fellow Women,
Women make up about 65%, of the agricultural labour force, and more than 89.94% of these, live in the rural areas. Agriculture remains the main source of employment and livelihood for most women, in the rural areas. Rural women, play a paramount role, in food and agriculture production, hunger and poverty eradication, and make very significant contributions, to guaranteeing food security, for their households and families, communities, and the entire nation at large, as their production, is mainly for family consumption. Even where they sell their products, the proceeds, go to cater for the basic needs, and wellbeing, of their families, in the form of clothing, school and medical bills, and food stuff, among other things.
Fellow Gambians, Follow Women,
With the global atmosphere of poverty, financial and economic uncertainties, climate change, food insecurity, coupled with recent erratic rainfall patterns, there is the need for, effective, efficient, equitable and sustainable agricultural development for food security, hunger eradication, poverty reduction, and rural development, which cannot be achieved without pursuing policies and strategies, that recognize these realities, and the need to empower rural women economically, socially and politically, to have equal access, to productive and financial resources and related services.
To this effect, several policies and strategies, have been developed by the Government of the Gambia, to improve agriculture production, and especially, support and empower rural women, to increase their level and quality of production. These include, inter alia, the National Agricultural Policy, the National Gender and Women’s Empowerment Policy, 2010–2020, the National Nutrition Policy, 2010-2020, and the National Agricultural Investment Programme (GNAIP).
Fellow Gambians, Fellow Women,
The Go Back to the Land, and Produce what you eat, and eat what you produce, a policy, philosophy and vision, by the icon of our development, and the most eminent farmer, the country has ever seen, H.E. the President Sheikh Professor Alhagie Dr. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, played a significant role, in ensuring and improving rural women and youth’s productivity, by increasing their access, to agricultural inputs, such as farm machinery, seeds and fertilizers.
The Women’s Bureau, under the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, with support, from the Spanish Government, through NEPAD, and also UNFPA, took significant strides, to address women’s needs and priorities, and, in particular, empowering rural women, by improving their production capacity, reducing their drudgery, and increasing their income generation capacity. All of these efforts, were geared towards improving food security, and ensuring equal access, for rural women, to productive resources, land, financing, technology, training, markets, processing and storage facilities etc.
The Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, with support from ADB and IFAD, is supporting, resource-poor rural producers, with special attention, to women horticulture, poultry and livestock farmers. About 12,000 farmers mostly women, will benefit directly from the project. This initiative, is an integral part, of the Gambia Government’s, poverty reduction and agricultural development strategies, and among other things, is aimed at pursuing the overall development goal, of reducing rural poverty, by raising rural food security and incomes, on a sustainable basis.
In conclusion, I am informed and it is worth noting, that The Gambia, will be commemorating, the day in Jangabureh, Central River Region, with a series of events, including a Parade and Conferences. I also use this opportunity, once more, to thank His Excellency, The President, and his Government for his invaluable support he diligently continues to render, to the women of this country. Under his Leadership, the well being of Girls and Gambian Women, among other social groupings continue to be enhanced. All the Gambian women, congratulate H.E. once more, for his landslide and well earned victory, and pray for his continued success and assure him of their unflinching support to his endeavours as encapsulated in Vision 2020 and PAGE.
Please bear in mind that if every Gambian connects a girl on this auspicious day, it will inspire a lot of minds, and ensure that development efforts, in the Gambia, integrate and empower rural women, effectively, then poverty and hunger will be a thing of the past, as enshrined in Vision 2020 and PAGE.
On that note Fellow Gambians, I wish you a happy celebration, and thank you, for your kind attention.
May the Almighty ALLAH, continue to bless our motherland, The Gambia.
