By Omar Bah
Respected women’s rights advocate, Tabu Sarr, has replaced Madi Jobarteh as the Westminster Foundation country director.
In February, Mr Jobarteh confirmed to The Standard that he has parted ways with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy over a disagreement due to his position on the Israel-Palestine issue.
Mr Jobarteh has, for the past years, served as the country director for the UK public body dedicated to “supporting democracy” around the world.
The foundation recently announced it is looking for a new country director to lead the strategic development and management of its programmes in The Gambia, prompting speculation that Madi Jobarteh was sacked.
In a statement published on its website, the WFD wrote: “Tabu Sarr is the current Country Director for the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) in The Gambia, where she oversees the organisation’s programme in the country. She holds a bachelor’s degree in development studies and a master’s in international relations and diplomacy from the University of The Gambia.”
Before joining WFD, Tabu was the Women’s Rights Manager at ActionAid The Gambia. She played a pivotal role as the Chief Reconciliation Officer at the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, a landmark initiative that helped uncover and bring closure to victims of human rights violations under the regime of former President Yahya Jammeh. Tabu also served as a Subject Matter Specialist for the Select Committee on Gender at the National Assembly.
With over eight years as a Programme Officer at The Association of NGOs in The Gambia (TANGO), Tabu was a leading figure in Gambian civil society. She is renowned as a staunch human rights defender and an active advocate for gender justice, democracy, and good governance in The Gambia. Tabu continues to collaborate with and support various organisations, causes, and communities in the promotion and protection of human rights, with a particular focus on youth, women, and persons with disabilities.
