The executive director of Beakanyang has told women in Kanifing Municipality and Banjul that there is no law that prevents them from leading city councils.
Nfamara Jawneh made the remarks over the weekend during a sensitization workshop on women’s political participation and representation held at KMC and BCC respectively.
“There is no law in The Gambia that prevents women from contesting for any public elective office in the country and that if you want you could contest as a mayoress, PM, councilor or even President,” he stressed.
He quoted The Gambian Constitution as saying that women shall be accorded full and equal dignity of the person with men and they shall have the right to equal treatment with men, including equal opportunities in political, economic and social activities.
The training, he said, also seeks to build the capacity of women in order for them to make informed choices during elections and to increase public awareness on the contribution of women in politics.
According to Jawneh, the campaign also seeks to encourage more female candidates to contest in the ongoing local government elections either as councilors, chairpersons or mayoresses.
He lamented that women constitute majority of the Gambian electorate but yet they only occupy very few elective offices.
For his part, Sait Matty Jaw, vice chairperson of the board of directors of Beakanyang said they are very much concern about low voter turnout.
He called on Banjulians to come out in their numbers to vote for the candidate of their choice come May 12 mayoral election.
According to him, women’s political participation and representation is very important and called for more women to be elected into decision-making positions.
Hon. Touma Njie, National Assembly Member for Banjul South thanked Beakanyang for organising such an important workshop for women in the city.
She however cautioned that while she supports women holding key leadership positions, it has to be competent women.
Bintou Jaiteh, newly elected councilor in Banjul hailed Beakanyang and partners for the training and assured that they would put the knowledge into good use.
She added that the training in Basse was timely and relevant to the empowerment of women in the region.
Elsewhere in Kanifing another 50 women from different political parties were also sensitized on the same cause.
Newly elected Councilor for Bakau New Town/Cape Point Ward Mrs. Bintou Janneh Jallow called for solidarity and more support among women to increase their effective representation in decision-making positions.
Meanwhile, the workshops formed part of series of activities being organized by the organization to promote effective women participation and representation.
Its officials thanked the International Republican Institute and the US Embassy for supporting the project that seeks to increase women’s political participation across the country.
