By Mama A. Touray
Fantanka organisation on Friday portrayed a docudrama on sexual and gender-based violence, held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara conference center.
The Docudrama was anchored on the theme of the just concluded Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission’s report.
Speaking at the portrait, Mariama Jobarteh the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the organization explained the main objectives of her foundation which according to her is to help children, women, and other victims whose rights were violated and searching for assistance.
CEO Jobarteh continued: “Sexual and gender based violence can be faced by a man, woman or children but it’s difficult for people to know if someone did this to you what step can you take.”
However, she said ,most of the time violations faced by women are raped or even sexually abused in different ways which are not in line with the laws, customs, and tradition.
Kimbeng Tah, Deputy Director of Civil litigation and International Law at the Ministry of Justice gave a brief history of human rights violation and sexual gender-based violence in the Gambia from 1994 to 2017.
“From 1994 to 2017 there were a lot of human rights violations and sexual gender-based violence in the Gambia and looking at the victims most of them were women who suffered these abuses in the hands of former President Jammeh and his associates,” Mr Tah explained
According to him, there are two ways in which SGBV happens, not just the women and men who suffered directly from SGBV but also the people who suffered as a result of the climate that allowed the perpetration of SGBV in the communities, schools, and institutions.
SGBV, according to Mr Tah, doesn’t stop in Jammeh’s era, it still exists and it’s the responsibility of all to stand against it to protect our children and enable us to feel comfort when we leave our homes.
On his part, Reneta Rohey Jack, State Counsel at the unit of sexual and gender-based violence, ministry of justice explained the frequent report they received at their office which include rape and other related cases.