By Binta Jaiteh
Government has reassured positive commitment and support to empowering the country’s women and girls towards attaining gender equality.
Speaking on behalf Vice President Dr. Isatou Touray during a women leadership forum organized by She Trade Gambia on Wednesday, March 03, 2021, Dr Momodou Tangara said “the government of the Gambia under the leadership of President Adama Barrow continues to implement programs to empower Gambian women and girls towards the attainment of gender equality.”
In his statement he stated that “economy empowerment of women is one of the world most promising areas of investment and demographic dividend. Women economic empowerment is therefore very central to the Gambia in this development agenda and this empowerment includes National development plan, which highlights the need to empower Gambian women to realize their full potential,” he added.
According to him under the project the Ministry of Trade Regional, Integration and Employment, and ICT are strengthening the capacities of women in the horticulture and textile to improve the overall business management skills product qualities, packaging and marketing qualities of their products.
He went further in his address “recent survey of women entrepreneurs in the Gambia found that 92% of previously well performed women entrepreneurs saw a reduction in their report in revenues due to Covid-19. The government is working with innovative to perform effectively leverage and uplift their economic amid Covid-19.”
Hon.Seedy Keita, said She Trades Gambia was launched in February 2019 of the project is to enable Gambian women entrepreneurs to benefit from economic participation through trade, with a focus on the horticulture and fashion value chains.
“This is achieved by facilitating the development of a supportive business ecosystem, and by improving their competitiveness and strengthening their market linkages in these key sectors of the economy,” he disclosed.
He noted that the target is to train and provide support for 500 women owned businesses by the end of the 3years and “to date a total of 315 women entrepreneurs or farmers have been trained and the project was provided in depth support to 92 of this businesses ladies and gentlemen.”.
Rohey Bittaye, representing the Minister for Gender and Children and Social Welfare described the forum as timely. She said “since international women’s day (March 8) is just around the corner a day to recognize the progress made in ensuring gender equality and access to opportunities for women in business.”
In conclusion, she said “women entrepreneurs play a critical role in economic growth and development of the country’s worldwide. The Gambia is not an exception. Entrepreneurs contributed immensely in reducing poverty, generate revenue, employment creation and promote domestic investment.”