SHE SHE SHE: Building a world free of violence, torture against women and girls in 2015

She-she-she is your weekly column dealing with the issue of women and girls’ situation within the country and beyond.

Let us begin by wishing the readers of She-she-she a happy New Year.

We thanked each and every one of you who take time to read our various articles on Women and Development issues.

Have you ever thought of a world free of violence and torture against women and girls?

Well, if we all come together, we can make it possible in this year, 2015.

Women, reflect on the past year

Dear readers, now that we are in the year 2015, as a woman living within the country or beyond, have you asked yourself the achievements you made in the past year?

Have you reviewed the challenges that crossed your path in the past year? What were your weak points in the past year?

If “yes”, have you set up goals that will help you do better in the year 2015.

Drop violence, negotiate in your relationship

Are you the type of woman or lady that has gone through heart breaks, when it comes to the matters of the heart?

If “yes”, take a rest and look back to where it started, and if there are thorns on the way you used, find ways and means of getting rid of them.

It is said that the downfall of a man is not the end of his life; certainly it is not the end of your life.

If you are a married woman, and things get rough between you and that gentleman, let your goal in 2015 make you fix the bond you two shared.

Fighting for what belongs to you is not a crime. Fight in the feminine way with the feminine charms that are natural. Avoid being fake.

Remember court is not always the best solution to solving disputes, because you may have lovely children together; and the best interest of the child should be your priority as a loving and responsible mother. Be the change you want to see in your marriage.

As a lady, single and ready to mingle, why not let it to be your goal in the year 2015. Begin that long search for the gentleman you dream of.

Remember no one is perfect, and it is only such a relationship that can bring together two different people from different cultures and backgrounds; so you need to be tolerant in your search for the prince.

Being independent as a lady is nice and enjoyable, but it is better if you share that with your other half.

Men are human beings just like any other, and they need more attention than a newborn baby.

So stop being that lady who goes with files to work and goes home with files to work at home.

Games are meant for teenagers and reality belongs to adults; so if you are behaving like that, it is time to change a little.

Maybe men run away from you due to your attitude. Try to reflect back on some of the things you do and work on that, so that when you find the next Mr. Right, he will put a ring on that vacant finger.

Know that a man is never ugly; what is important is the happiness, respect and the manner in which he values you as a woman.

Never give up as a woman

To you that throw away a child you gave birth to, don’t allow yourself to be bullied, rejected or condemned; because in this world, whether you know it or not, everyone has a story to tell no matter how good or bad it is.

Try to learn from your mistakes and stand up on your feet, look in the mirror and say to yourself: “I am a survivor, and I will fight against oppression and build a better future for myself.” It is never too late to change.

For you that are physically challenged, disability does not mean inability. Stand up for yourself, and face the world as it is. Tighten your belts and say: “begging is not for me!”

You can be a NOPAL seller, vegetable seller, cold-water seller or start business ventures that will help you build a better future for yourself.

If you are a woman at home facing violence of all kinds, come out and speak out; try to be a survivor and not a victim. If keep on with the silence, the world will not hear your story and, if that happens, you will be in that situation until death.

Freedom for women in difficulties

This is the year 2015; it is time for the world to fight against rapists in India and in any part of the world. We call on the world leaders to intervene in India, to let justice prevail so that our sisters in India and elsewhere in the world could walk in the streets freely during day and night.

We called on the world leaders to ask Boko Haram to leave our girls alone, to enjoy the freedom that all girls are enjoying in other parts of the world.

Rape is a heinous crime; as such we want to see the culprits jailed for life or given death sentences, because even that cannot compensate the damage that is done to the victims.

We have seen somewhere in the Asian countries, where young girls are forced into marriage and, when they refuse, they throw acid on their faces, and nothing is done against the perpetrators.

In a world where women and girls think twice before going out - and yet our world leaders are talking about human rights - when being a woman is seen as a crime and not a blessing;

We want to be seen as your mothers, grandmothers, aunties, nieces, daughters, sisters and wives.

As we enter the year 2015, we hope to see many development projects for women and girls throughout The Gambia and beyond.

Let us all work to build a world free of violence and torture against women.