The Minister of Women Affairs, Children and Social Welfare, Fatou Kinteh has pledged her ministry support to the Network of Gender Journalists for Women and Cultural Advancement (NoGJWCA), describing the organization as the newborn of her ministry.
The recent pledged was made during the executive members of NoGJWCA courtesy call on the minister to officially brief her on network plans towards national development.
“We are happy that your network is part of this bureau and this is all we need as a ministry as journalism is very important when it comes to gender issues, and we are ready to work with your organization,” she told NoGJWCA officails.
She added: As you know this is a new ministry that we have been looking for many years ago and today we have it. This ministry is for everybody because whether you like it or not, there is no body in the Gambia or even in the whole world who go to bed without handling issues of women, children and social welfare.”
She pointed out that the ministry is for everybody more especially NoGJWCA network which has been established by the Women Bureau.
“As a result you are our baby as much as the ministry is new, if you are a baby of the women Bureau, then you are automatically part of this ministry.
We are extremely willing to work with you and assure that we are going to work together to achieve good results,” she noted.
She observed that the reason for establishing NoGJWCA is to make visible the work of women and to make sure the network address the challenges facing women.
Minister Kinteh revealed that her ministry will soon be fully established and once that happened, they will have a communication unit and the people that they are working with regarding women issues will be consulted.
On the issue of capacity building, the minister urged NoGJWCA members to work with Women Bureau and let them know the types training the organization needs for capacity building for its members.
Pateh Baldeh, President NoGJWCA commended the Women minister for the opportunity to discussed with her on matters concerning his organization.
“We are really happy with the progress taken place regarding women issues in this country,” he noted.
NoGJWCA president said Network of gender journalists was established in 2009 through the support of Women Bureau at the end five days training of selected media practitioners, traditional communicators and religious leaders and training was held at Trans-Gambia High Way in Pakalinding at Jarra West in the Lower River Region.
He added that at the end of the training each of the three groups were asked to form a network in order to work in partnership with Women Bureau
He pointed out that in anything there must be some challenges and constraints but a lot has been achieved with Women Bureau in their partnership over the years, adding that NoGJWCA as part of Women Bureau and the Working Group for Peace Building for West Africa.
Baldeh appealed to the ministry and the Women Bureau to conducts training for its members in the areas of writing on women and children issues as well cultures, stating that most culture and traditional norms are being practice by women.
Njie Baldeh, Secretary General Network of Gender Journalists for Women and Cultural Advancement (NoGJWCA) congratulated the minister on her appointment.
He said that the constitution of their network has clearly spelled out the separation of the ministry of Women Affairs from the office of the Vice president, while calling on more support from the ministry.
Aji Fatou Jammeh, member of NoGJWCA also congratulated Minister Kinteh ‘on her appointment for holding this important position representing women. “We just want to collaborate with the ministry because we are a baby to this ministry.”
Lamin Kujabi, NoGJWCA Coordinator also thanked the minister for considering the network, noting that they are definitely proud to meet the Minister of Women Affairs in the history of this country.
“For us our network is ready to expose the efforts and the achievements of women in this country.”