By Ndey Sowe
On the occasion of International Women’s Day which is commemorated every March 8, the Mayor of Banjul City Council (BCC), Rohey Malick Lowe, has encouraged government and other stakeholders to advocate for policies and services that support girls’ education, empowerment and health.
She called on the authorities to make Schools safe and provide secure learning environments for every child in the Gambia, especially for girls, and to increase their enrolment, retention and completion of their educational careers. Mrs. Lowe made this and other remarks on Thursday, 6 February 2025, in an interview with the press, during activities marking International Women’s Day celebrations organised by Refela’s Gambia Chapter, at the Council’s office in Banjul.
She called for better understanding and overcoming of barriers faced by out-of-School girls and for expanded access for girls through various interventions such as improved learning pathways and quality of education. Additionally, she called for advocacy drives and leadership, ensuring that governments and stakeholders are committed to accelerating educational outcomes for girls.
While congratulating every woman in The Gambia and Africa in general, she said the day is also set to celebrate the achievement of women and to reflect on the challenges that women face.
“We have seen how African women struggle to make ends meet and at the same time, we have seen the achievements of African women particularly when we talk about Gambian women,” she said
Despite the achievements in empowering women, Mrs. Lowe, however, said that there is still action that needs to be taken together with serious policies to advance and address women’s issues in The Gambia. She emphasized the importance of this year’s IWD celebrations, which resonates with the Refela corporate objective of fostering women’s and girls’ ability to make strategic choices, and to exert influence over their lives and futures. She called for the need to celebrate women, most especially those in the disabled community.
“Women should be celebrated every minute because we are the bread basket of Africa. Without us, nothing can move,” she said, adding that women empowerment is not only the best thing to do, but it is the right thing to do.
On this day, she said there is a need to enumerate the challenges that women and girls face in terms of gender equity, equality and economic empowerment, regardless of their social standing.
“Let us revisit our interventions, identify the achievements registered and the challenges that remain; conduct a thorough study of the remaining challenges and come up with appropriate and innovative interventions to address them,” she said.
While addressing the issue of every woman believing in themselves, she encourages every woman to have confidence and take up leadership roles for development.
She encouraged every woman to support their fellow women and to unite. She called for the need for solidarity and believes that women should support each other in every aspect.
While commending her partners for their support in championing women empowerment, she reiterated Refela’s commitment to making the environment conducive, by ensuring that women and girls’ empowerment is realized.
This year the theme of International Women’s Day 2025, is “Accelerate Action”, a worldwide call to acknowledge strategies, resources and activities that positively impact on women’s advancement, and to support and elevate their implementation. The day is observed on March 8 annually, which recognizes women’s contributions across various fields, raises awareness about gender equality and promotes empowerment.
