Today October 15 is observed as the International Day of Rural Women. Observed since October 2008, this international day was established by the UN General Assembly in its resolution 62/136 of 18 December 2007.
The women of The Gambia, particularly rural women have to be commended for their hard work and dedication to national development.
Their fundamental contributions to their households, the food production systems and national economy are well known, and deserves acknowledgement by the government and the international community.
Rural Gambian women can be found busy working on their rice and groundnut fields, as well as busy taking care of the domestic work of their families.
They work all day, struggling with little support or none at all, to take care of their families.
The issues relating to the problems confronting rural women in The Gambia are many, and thus need concrete interventions.
Our rural women, irrespective of their political affiliation or faith, should be given more support and encouragement by the authorities.
Giving women farmers soft loans, farming inputs and bringing quality health care services to their communities could help boost the morale of our rural women.
Despite their hard work, unlike the few educated women in the cities, in particular, many rural women in The Gambia are living very heart-breaking lives.
Women are hardest hit by poverty in this country, and are more vulnerable, as they own no land and are less educated.
It is very miserable that, even in this 21st century globalized world, Gambian women farmers still use 19th century farming implements, and live below the poverty line.
We must think about this, and do something practical to uplift their living conditions since they are very important in our national development drive.
