The National Population Commission on Thursday concluded a three-day training for the West Coast Region Population Taskforce.
Funded by UNFPA, the training was meant to equip the taskforce members with the requisite information on the national population policy, the demographic dividend and development, and female genital cutting.
The forum held at the Regional Education Directorate, region 2, was also a pathway to reconstitute the regional taskforce.
Director of population affairs at the National Population Secretariat, Saikou JK Trawally, said the objective of the forum was to fill the capacity gap in the taskforce to enable them effectively deliver at the regional level.
He said the population secretariat operates across the entire country at the hospitals, providing basic equipment to ensure that services are effectively delivered. It also partners with civil society organisations both at central and regional levels, doing campaigns on FGM/C and gender-based violence, among others.
Mr Trawally said the secretariat also operates through the Gambia Family Planning Association to ensure that contraceptives commodities are delivered to those who need them in order to address the maternal and infant mortality issues.
Mam Sait Jallow, CEO of Brikama Area Council, called on participants to make best use of the knowledge gained from the training and disseminate the information at the grassroots level.
He also commended UNFPA for funding the training.