By: Nyima Sillah
Human rights defender cum women’s rights activist Musu Bakoto Sawo has expressed concern over the challenges that Gambian women continue to grapple with and she called for government’s intervention to improve women’s welfare.
Speaking to The Voice in the build-up to International Women’s Day commemorations, Ms. Sawo said it is crucial for the government to address key gaps that continue to hinder women’s progress.
“One of the most pressing issues is the need to improve access to sexual and reproductive health services. Maternal mortality remains a significant challenge, with many women losing their lives due to inadequate healthcare facilities, shortage of skilled medical personnel and limited access to family planning services,” she pointed out.
“The government must invest in expanding maternal healthcare, ensuring that women, especially in rural areas, have access to quality prenatal and postnatal care, emergency obstetric services, and reproductive health education,” the women’s rights advocate emphasized.
She pointed out that while The Gambia has laws in place to protect women from sexual and gender-based violence, including FGM and other harmful traditional practices, enforcement remains weak, asserting that many women and girls continue to suffer from the violations due to cultural resistance, lack of legal awareness, and ineffective implementation of existing laws.
“The government must strengthen law enforcement mechanisms by training police officers, judicial officials, and healthcare workers to handle SGBV cases effectively,” Madam Sawo stressed.
Meanwhile, the prominent women’s rights activist pointed out that another critical area that requires urgent attention is the underrepresentation of women in key decision-making domains, including in the Executive.
“Women’s voices and perspectives remain marginalized in politics and governance, limiting their ability to influence policies that directly affect them. The government should introduce affirmative action policies such as gender quotas to increase women’s participation in leadership positions,” she stressed. “Political parties must also be encouraged to support and nominate more female candidates, while leadership and capacity-building programs should be developed to empower women with the skills and confidence to take on leadership roles.”
She bemoaned that the lack of gender equality in leadership positions has a profound impact on the younger generation, particularly on young girls who aspire to be leaders in decision-making spaces, asserting that when women continue to struggle to fit into leadership roles, it reinforces the belief that leadership is primarily for men, discouraging young girls from pursuing ambitious career paths.
“This lack of representation can lower their confidence, limit their aspirations, and make them feel that their voices and contributions are less valuable in society. It also deprives young people of diverse role models,” she explained.
Madam Sawo emphasized that seeing women in powerful roles helps to break stereotypes and inspire both girls and boys to believe in gender-inclusive leadership.
“Without strong female representation, traditional gender norms that confine women to certain roles in society will persist, making it harder to achieve gender equality in the future,” she cautioned.
She went on to say that the continuous struggle of women in leadership weakens national development as women bring unique perspectives and experiences that are essential for creating inclusive policies that benefit all members of the society.
“If young people grow up in a system where leadership is male-dominated, they may inherit the same biases, making it even more difficult to achieve equality in future generations. To address this issue, it is crucial to empower and uplift young girls through education, mentorship, and leadership training,” she stated, adding: “The government and civil society must work together to create an environment, where women are not only encouraged to lead but are also given equal opportunities to do so. When young girls see women breaking barriers and excelling in leadership, they will be more likely to believe in their potential, leading to a more equitable and progressive society.”