By: Nyima Sillah
DCAF in collaboration with the Gambia Police Force on Friday concluded a weeklong awareness training and development of gender policy for the Gambia Police Force held in a local hotel.
Over 25 Police Officers benefited from the first-time development of the Gender Policy for GPF, including some immigration officers.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, DCAF head of mission, Ken Isaac spoke on the significance of the training which is to design a gender mainstreaming policy for the GPF, and identify mutual areas which will show consistency for the future design of a gender policy for the Gambia immigration department.
“With the validation of the Inspector General of Police, I am confident that the Gambia police force will have a suitable policy for gender mainstreaming. This would build a purpose that has already been made by the GPF and recognition of Gender mainstreaming which is one of the strict intensifiers of Policing doctrine.”
He disclosed that the next step is the draft policy based on the feedback that would be presented to the IGP and the senior management team and its implementation, which DCAF would be keen to support.
Commissioner Lala Camara, of Banjul Division, head of the Gambia Police Female Network, highlighted that the female network was formed in 2017 and was launched in 2019 since then they have achieved so many things.
“Before 2017, women at the top with responsibilities and unit heads were less than 20 but today we thank God that we are over 55 in different fields forming 25% of the workforce. I think it is high time for us to take up other responsibilities for us in decision-making and fill that gap. Let us not be handbags to be carried all along, let us stand firm and take up other responsibilities.”
On behalf of the participants, CSP Gas Sabally, Chief of Operations, KM region, said: “The training and development of gender mainstreaming policy is a significant milestone achievement in the history of the Gambia Police Force, and not only conducting Gender Awareness training but also delivering a maiden gender policy for the Gambia Police Force.
CSP Sabally noted that the sessions were interactive, educative, and very participatory and therefore, expressed gratitude to the EU-founded DCAF support to the Gambia Police Force and the Gambia Immigration Department.
