A two-day Regional Parliamentary Workshop on the Role of Women Parliamentarians in the
Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction began yesterday at the National Assembly auditorium in Banjul.
The workshop organised by Parliamentarians for Global Action and hosted in collaboration with the National Assembly brings together Legislators from eleven African countries to discuss and review strategies on Improving the role of Women Parliamentarians in the non-proliferation efforts of Weapons of Mass Destruction.
The workshop is also providing the avenue for participating legislators to share with their colleagues the current thinking and position in their respective countries on women and leadership and how they can take a central role in the control of WMDs.
“The conference and its theme is an indication that African Parliamentarians are increasingly recognising the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace-building, and are stressing the importance of their equal participation, full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security, and the need to increase their role in decision- making with regards to conflict prevention and resolution”, said Hon. Momodou LK Sanneh, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly whilst officially opening.
The initiative is also lauded by the British High Commissioner to The Gambia and the United Nations Resident Coordinator both of whom pledge the continuous collaboration and support of their institutions to promote the agenda of women in decision making particularly in the non-proliferation efforts of WMDs.
The forum which will be concluded today is expected to produce a focused set of strategic steps to facilitate all crucial follow up actions by all participants, in the aftermath of this Workshop.