International Women’s Day is established to focus on how far gender relations have improved to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women. That is precisely the aim of the Convention on the Elimination of DiscriminationAgainst Women.
CEDAW presumes the existence of a male dominated society which provides all the basic rights and needs of men while leaving out women. It further presumes that once discrimination is put to an end, women will enjoy the same rights as men and a society free from all exclusion and deprivation would be the order of the day.
Taking stock of Gambian society would confirm that over half the population comprising both male and female are living in poverty. Hence ending discrimination only brings women to be equal in poverty with men. Hence the principal battle is to link advocacy against discrimination against women with advocacy against poverty.
All these grand themes that are coined annually to celebrate the day become meaningless unless they are linked to the battle to eradicate poverty.
Hence the theme, eradicate poverty and end discrimination, should be an annual theme until all the efforts required are initiated to ensure the total eradication of poverty.
