By: Lamin B. Darboe
Aja Binta Jammeh-Sidibeh Former Executive Director, Women’s Bureau, raised the Gambian flag higher following her re-election to represent The Gambia as a Rapporteur at the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Women Consultative Council.
Madam Jammeh-Sidibeh, , a veteran Gender Expert told The Voice in her resident at Old Jeshwang how she got into this vital position at OIC level and what would be her main function between OIC and Gambia.
She said her first election as a member at OIC Women Consultative Council was during the fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference of OIC Member States held in Baku, Azerbaijan where she was assigned the role of Chief bidder for the sixth Ministerial Conference held in Turkey which was unanimously accepted by all delegates.
“My recent re-election into the position of the Rapporteur of OIC Women Consultative Council will run for a period of two years all because of her (Aja Binta Sidibeh-Jammeh) knowledge and experience on Gender/Women affairs thus couple with her strong instrument in influencing decisions on very important issues,” she said.
According to her, in November 2015 she met with the OIC Secretary General at OIC Headquarters in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through which she emphasized the importance for The Gambia to host the OIC Head of States meeting in Banjul which is now scheduled for November 2019.
“At the sixth OIC Ministerial conference on Women held in Istanbul, Turkey in November 2016, she was instrumental in influencing the conference to establish the Women Consultative Council which was initiated by the Republic of Turkey thus to support the Government of Turkey to host the First term of the Council,” she explained.
As an experience Women’s right Activist being familiar with the OIC rules and procedures and OIC Organs and Institutions in the area of Women empowerment, said her membership to this august body would indeed enhance The Gambia’s participation and empowerment of Gambian Women within the OIC Member States.
Being one of the first few female Gambian graduates at the time from Indiana University, USA in 1978, her work experience both at International and National levels include: UN, American Embassy/USAID and Executive Director, Women’s Bureau while at the civil society domain also as: Head of Women’s Right NGO known as APGWA/SOBEYA for over 20 years.
As OIC Gambia’s representative at the OIC Women Consultative Council level, she will work closely with Women’s Affairs Ministry, TANGO and all the relevant bodies to ensure; timely submission of National Reports to the OIC General Secretariat on the implementation of OPAAW (OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women).
The adoption of the OIC Gender Policy, the setting up of National OPAAW Technical Committee, the Selection of Women’s Projects for the OIC Women’s Achievements Award and addressing issues and challenges facing the Muslim Ummah with respect to women empowerment and advancing their status.
As The Gambia’s rapporteur at the OIC Women Consultative Council level, Aja Binta Sidibeh-Jammeh lauded the Government of The Gambia for both signing and ratifying the statute of the OIC Women in Development Organization.