By: Kebba AF Touray
The National Population Commission Secretariat (NPCS) has convened a national dialogue on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) over the weekend.
The dialogue, which was held with members of the network of parliamentarians on population and development, and members of regional faiths and traditional leaders’ networks, represented a pivotal step forward in the fight against GBV, to enhance the understanding of participants on GBV issues, the legal framework and policies concerning adolescent girls and young women.
The Director of Population Secretariat, Mariama Fanneh, said the presence of the participants signified a shared commitment to address issues of GBV including FGM and child marriage.
These practices, she said, are deeply rooted in cultural, social, and economic factors, and proportionately affect women and girls worldwide, including the Gambia.
‘‘Statistic from 2019-2020 on DHS, reveals a concerning prevalence of these practices in our nation, which showed a staggering 75.79 percent of women aged 15-49 who have undergone FGM, and 34.8 percent of girls getting married before the age of 18,’’ Fanneh said.
She highlighted the profound impact of the practice on the lives of young women and girls, saying FGM can hinder a woman’s ability to work and participate fully in society.
Similarly, she said child marriage often forces girls to abandon peer invitations by limiting their opportunities and perpetuating their circles of poverty, noting that as the Gambia enters a window of demographic opportunities, it is crucial to harness the full potential of the youth.
“That is the very young population that we have. Currently, in the Gambia, about 79 percent of the population is below the age of 35 and the other 64 percent of the population is below the age of 24. So if we want to really develop as a country, we really have to harness this potential,” She said.
She said this cannot be done by leaving over half of the population behind.
“We cannot harness the demographic dividend, meaning we cannot achieve economic growth,” Fanneh said.
Fanta Bai Secka, the Chairperson of the SWEDD Project, said the project has come to address two main issues namely: FGM and Child Marriage, and to focus on the education of girls to ensure that they remain in School until they complete the secondary level of their education.
She said empowering women and girls in the areas of the economy and human rights, enhancing their health, and expanding their protection are also part of the project’s objectives. She said they have realized that FGM is a traditional issue, and they have engaged extensively on the issue, hoping that lawmakers will make the best use of their wisdom during their engagement on the issue of FGM.
Kawsu Fadera, the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Office of the Vice President, reported that the Gambia Demographic and Household Survey (GDHS) has revealed a concerning trend in the prevalence of physical violence against women age 15 and above, rising from 41% in 2013 to 46% in 2020.
“The survey indicates that 9 percent of women aged 15-49 have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime and 10 percent of women in urban dwellings are more likely to report such experiences compared to rural women,” Fadera said. He said to truly eradicate GBV, the country must address the root causes that fuel its flames, as well as the deeply entrenched social norms that perpetuate gender inequality. This, he said, demands a multi-pronged approach to dismantling harmful stereotypes that limit aspirations, and create power imbalances to ultimately justify violence against those who do not conform.
“To prevent GBV, we must also foster a culture of gender equality in the education sector, which goes beyond simply treating boys and girls as the same. It is about fostering a culture of respect for all genders and understanding the power dynamics that contribute to violence,” he said.
“Prevention will also require nurturing positive and respectful relationships within both our communities and work settings,” DPS Fadera said, indulging the diligence of participants to strengthen legislation to criminalize all forms of GBV and ensure effective implementation.
Declaring the dialogue open, Hon. Gibi Mballow, the Chairperson of members of the Network of National Assembly on Population and Development said GBV is a pervasive violation of the fundamental rights and freedoms of women and girls.
He said GBV in particular FGM and child marriages are egregious practices that inflict irreversible harm on girls and women.
“They undermine the health, well-being, and education of our girls and young women, and by extension, the very fabric of our society. These practices are not just acts of violence; they are an affront to our shared humanity,” Hon. Mballow said. He said dialogue serves as a platform for them to engage in candid, informed, and solution-oriented discussions.
“Here we will share best practices, confront challenges, and forge a united front against these deeply entrenched issues,” he told participants.
Hon. Mballow also urged the participants to use the platform to deepen their understanding of the causes, consequences, and solutions to end gender-based violence, FGM, and child marriage in our societies.
