By: Nyima Sillah
Ousman Cham, Board Director of ActionAid-The Gambia Monday made a remarked that women and youths should have access to resources and be part of decision-making processes.
He made the remarks during the validation workshop of draft Empirical Assessment of Grievance Mechanism for Land and Natural Resources Related to dispute in The Gambia.
According to him, the ActionAid believes that power relations are at the heart of the struggle to empower women and youths and it is indeed power that defines people’s access to ownership and control over resources including land.
He said: “women and youth participation in social and political affairs and their ability to realize their full potentials in contributing their quota to the national development process are either enhance or hindered by power.”
The ActionAid director added further that “Power is the underlying factor that caused the systematic and persistent marginalization of women and youths over a long period of time. Women and youths have poor access and lacks of ownership and control over production resources as well as their low participation in development process have been perpetuated by the power imbalance and inequality between men and women that reign for so long.”
He continued that“Economic, social, political and cultural empowerment of women and youths is very critical in ensuring their meaningful and active participation in all spheres of development including the governance of natural resource.”
He appealed to each and every one that women and youths must be supported and give opportunity to be part of decision making structures at local and national levels.