By: Sulayman Waan
Gambia Committee on Harmful Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Girl- Child (GAMCOTRAP) has sensitized adolescents inthe Central River Region on Harmful Traditional Practice, sexual and reproductive health; held at Buduck, Wassu and Sotokoi villages on June 30- July 1 respectively and funded by The Kingdom of Netherland.
The forum aimed to enlighten the adolescents on harmful traditional practices (Female Genital Mutilation, Early\Force marriages), Sexual Reproductive Health, Sexual Transmitted Infection (STI), Child Rights among others.
Addressing the participants, Musa Jallow, overseer of GAMCOTRAP director office said the means to sensitize the adolescents on harmful traditional practices, sexual reproductive health, STI among other related issues to ensure their (adolescents) wellbeing as well as protect the future generation from such harmful practices.
“This project is specifically for the youth folk because you (youth) are the future leaders. Therefore, if you are sensitize on issues that would ensure the wellbeing of the society it would be great beneficial to the country,” he said.
Mr. Jallow described the sensitization forum as essential in enabling the participants to share knowledge with the facilitators so as to put mechanisms in place to change the public mindset from these harmful practices, adding that would free the adolescents from the bad practices as well as the future generation.
He expressed gratitude to the Kingdom of the Netherlands for funding the project, saying the Netherlands contribution on adolescents’ awareness raising on the aforementioned subjects is recognized, appreciated and timely which will go a long way in protecting and promoting the wellbeing of the children.
Perr Bah, chief of Niani district commended GAMCOTRAP for raising the awareness of adolescents on harmful traditional practices particularly health effects of female circumcision.
However, he described the conference as refreshment to the participants since the organization had been enlightening the masses on health consequences of these harmful traditional practices.
“Many young women had been encountering difficulties during delivery as result of practicing FGM,” he said.
Speaking further the traditional leader noted that if FGM and its related practices are not abolished women and girl-child will continue visiting health facilities in searching for medication owing to the harmfulness of the practices to them.
Momodou Keita, regional coordinator for GAMCOTRAP told the participants that this feminism organization stood firmly to see all harmful traditional practices become a thing of the pass to ensure women and girl-child are free from all forms of harms.
Imam Barry, participant expressed downheartedness on the negative impact of FGM in the society, saying he discovered four victims of FGM who encountered severe complication and one of them remain silent as a result of the practice.
“Among those victims the first person was sick for more than 20 years, the second just have a child and passed away and the others couldn’t have a child at all,” he narrated anxiously.
Barry called on participants and the entire communities in the district to support the organization’s crusade to ensure all harmful traditional practices are eliminated to ensure the welfare of the masses.
