By: Fatou Krubally
The First Lady of The Gambia, Fatou Bah-Barrow, has called for stronger regional collaboration to improve services for survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), emphasizing the need to challenge harmful social and cultural norms.
Speaking at a high-level side event during the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) at the United Nations Headquarters, Madam Bah-Barrow reaffirmed her commitment to advancing gender equality and supporting women’s empowerment.
“I pledge to work closely with the First Ladies of Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Senegal to address the root causes of GBV. By strengthening survivor support services, promoting community dialogue, and raising awareness, we can drive meaningful change,” she stated.
The event, co-hosted by the governments of The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Italy, alongside the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), provided a platform for sharing best practices and progress made in implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action over the past three decades.
First Lady Barrow stressed the importance of building a regional movement focused on long-term investment in adolescent girls and breaking down barriers to gender equality. She also highlighted her foundation, FaBB, and its collaboration with the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) to engage civil society and local communities in efforts to eliminate GBV. “This movement seeks to dismantle the stigma that prevents survivors from speaking out or seeking help due to fear of retaliation, social exclusion, or disbelief,” she added.
The event, moderated by UNFPA’s Gender and Human Rights Advisor, Cecile Mazzacurati, brought together key stakeholders, including The Gambia’s Secretary General and Secretary to Cabinet, Alieu Njie, the Spouse of the Vice President, H.E. Mariama Jallow, and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Lamin B. Dibba.
As the world moves toward Beijing+40, the First Lady emphasized the urgency of continued collaboration to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and create a future free from GBV.
