Traditional Leaders Trained To Suport Women Empowerment

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Abdoulai G. Dibba

The EU Funded project that is being implemented in Central River Region South by Action Aid International the Gambia, has trained 62 participants in six groups to support the cause of women empowerment during the course of week.

According to Sarjo Camara the project Coordinator, the purpose of the training is to equip traditional leaders on the instruments designed to end women economic and social marginalization.

She told participants that the training programme is meant to sensitize them to support women empowerment initiatives.

The modules for the training she said, will center on legal instruments that promote women empowerment and reference was taken from the Constitution of the Gambia, the Women’s Act, Sexual and Gender Base Violence, Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Act.

She informed participants that the training which is financed by an EU-funded project on Strengthening Women’s Economic Initiatives in the sum of 333,000 Euros, should be implemented in three years, from January 2018 to December 2020 by ActionAid, The Gambia.

She said the overall objective of the project is to contribute to the promotion of women’s empowerment and participation in the southern part of CRR.

Dilating on the targeted result, Camara indicated that ‘‘by the end of the project, close to 28,000 people will be reached in target areas including 1,550 individual women working in the area of vegetable production, tie and dye and batik production; milling machine service providers, women groups and networks, community based organisations, business associations, credit union associations and 580 local Government and traditional authorities.’’

For the benefit of the readership, 62 traditional leaders comprising Chiefs, Alkalos, Imams, Women Councilors, Area Councillors, Apex Coordinators, Lady Presidents, Women Pressure Groups and Rural Women Assembly Members, will be trained in six days taking into consideration the Convid-19 preventive measures.