By: Sainabou Sanneh & Musa O Bah
The Gambia First Lady Her Excellency Fatoumata Bah-Barrow has promised that her office will give all support it can to put an end, to and control the suffering of gender-based violence in the country.
First Lady Barrow made this promise on Monday during the commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism held at Westfield Monument.
Addressing the gathering she said “My office will give all support to be able to put an end to control suffering of gender-based violence. We need to reconnect our sense of responsibility honorably as women in the Gambia and everywhere in the world. As women and men as leaders let us unite and put an end to sexual based-violence.
“Today is a significant day for The Gambia as we join the rest of the world yet to observe the sixteen days of activism campaign against gender based-violence on uniting activists to end gender-based violence against girls and women.”
She added that this campaign has become a major event for the Ministry of Gender and it was initially launched in the same place when the Gambia established the Ministry of Gender and Children Welfare.
According to the First Lady, Since the establishment of the Ministry of Gender and Children Welfare, they have made lots of efforts in terms of law programs that are aimed at addressing gender based-violence and as well as promoting equality across the country.
“These efforts include measures that have been put in place to protect and uphold the rights of children and women as such as the women act, and its amendment in 2015 children’s act and amendment 2016 Trafficking in person, act 2007 and domestic violence and sexual offenses act 2013,” she said.
Meanwhile, the first Lady also launched the hotline to report all forms of gender-based violence which was introduced by the Ministry of Gender and Social Welfare with the support of UNCP. She added that the police officers responsible for child welfare were trained and posted in every region.
“Additionally, efforts have been made to organize a management information system whereby sensitization campaigns like this training peer-to-peer education general education and policy to provide accessible information and services will be done to reduce gender-based violence,” she disclosed.
