By Binta Jaiteh
The Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (TANGO recently trained traditional communicators and media personnel on women’s political participation and leadership.
The four-day training that was held at Basse in the Upper River Region was funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Mahamadou Ceesay, Chairman of Basse Area Council said that the importance of the training cannot be overemphasized due to the role women play in the societies, while he described women as first leaders in every household.
“We all entrust our families to women but still don’t want to entrust our communities or country to a woman, how can we develop as a nation”, he questioned.
He stressed that the saddest issue the world and society are facing today are underrepresentation of women while calling for the promotion of women for political office to build the foundation for the society we all yearn for.
The Basse Area Council Chairperson emphasized that studies show that women in leadership are more linked and connected with good governance, and sustainable development than any other leadership because they symbolize social justice.
“We should give women the chance to take part in decision-making processes”, he opined.
Alagie S. Cham, Senior Program Officer at TANGO stated that TANGO’s commitment to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment aligns seamlessly with their mission.
“Women’s leadership is essential for sustainable development, yet significant barriers continue to hinder their full participation” in politics”, he added.
He stated that the training is meant to equip women with the skills and strategies necessary to promote women leaders within communities.
“Together we will explore effective communication techniques, harness the power of traditional and social media, and cultivate a supportive network to elevate women’s narratives.
As we embark on this important journey, let us commit to fostering an environment where every woman’s voice is heard and valued, and together, we can create lasting change that empowers women and enriches our communities”, Cham told participants.
He commended TANGO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for their invaluable support and partnership in making this initiative possible.
Pateh N. Baldeh, Senior Records Officer representing the Governor of Upper River Region noted that women play vital roles in the societies but they face societal challenges that hinder their participation in politics.
“We believe that such high-level training will pave the way in getting the best out of the best from our female folks in our societies who can indeed be productive leaders in the future”, he stated.
He further said a lot of women have talents but due to shyness and also traditional norms and values, they find it difficult to be exposed to leadership positions and responsibilities.
According to him, most leaders who come into positions through traditional or government are empowered by women exposing these women to training and giving them the prerequisite knowledge will equip them to become better leaders tomorrow he explained.
He urged all the participants to make good use of the opportunity given to them.
Basse Ward Councillor Ejatou Jallow reiterated that women should be encouraged to take part in the decision-making process and also participate in political platforms.
She said during the previous parliamentary elections people sent a lot of discouraging messages to her which prompted her to withdraw, adding that with this training she now has a newfound courage to stand firm and engage in politics.
“This training has equipped me a lot and it also motivated me to have confidence in my work. I want to call on every woman to neglect the petty talks and focus on national development”, she stated.
Ejatou also tasked the government to empower and consider women in the country.
Participant Mariama Trawally called on women to take part in leadership positions and should be ready to work towards achieving these goals.
She said the reason women failed to compete with men for higher positions is due to a lack of adequate knowledge to handle certain positions.
High positions like decision-making processes need good education qualifications.
We should discourage early marriage so our children to be well educated achieve their goals and be responsible persons in the future. Looking at this region no woman is a Parliamentarian and that is not encouraging for a constituency like Basse”, she pointed out.
For his part, Mawdo Sisaho urged that the constitution should empower women to promote their political participation and that political parties should also consider their female contestants.
Without this provision being provided we will continue to advocate for women’s leadership but nothing will change”, she noted
The Project Manager Amie Touray thanked the participants for their contributions and continuous commitment throughout the training. She assured the trainees that their recommendations and concerns would be discussed at the management level.
