By: Fatoumatta Gasama & Sariba Manneh
As the World celebrate International Women’s Day today, cross-section of women have expressed concern over women empowerment in the country citing that Gambian women are empowered but yet many positions are handle by men.
The United Nations began celebrating International Women’s Day in Year 1975. In 1977, the United Nations General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for women’s rights and world peace. #BalanceforBetter is the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day.
Speaking to The Voice in an interview, Isatou Njie, procurement clerk for National Youth Council (NYC) said Gambian women are empowered but the public prefer men to lead certain public institutions as well as elective positions.
“Many women have the concept that when they vie for elective positions they will not be elected. However, considering the position of vice president has been occupied by women in the country while women also head other public institutions,” she said.
Meanwhile, she called on Gambian women to strive harder so as to contribute to the development of nation.
Naffie Joof, cloths vendor told this medium that low women representation in public office is due to the fact that the country constitutes higher percentage of Muslims, adding that many Muslim related women empowerment to Islam by saying women should not be empower over men.
“People related women empowerment to Islam. They are saying women should only be house wives. However, people should stop that slogan because what a man can do, a woman can do it better,” she noted.
Rohey Samateh, secretary for Manga Enterprise Agency noted that Gambian women are empowered, adding that she realized that many institutions are headed by women.
“Women need to handle key positions because there are many women who have the knowledge and ability than men in holding key positions, in addition both men and women have equal right” she told The Voice.
For her part, Jacquelin SM Sylva, financial manager for NYC asserted that Gambian women should not be discouraged by men because they are educated and have equal right with them [men] in the country.
According to her, over the years Gambian women had handle higher positions gradually, noting that now women are handling key position citing the former vice president as example .
Ms Sylva advised her fellow women to work hard and not to relinquish in their struggle for key positions in the country while called on women activists to advocate for women’s rights to ensure women handle the mantle of leadership of the country in the near future
