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Gambia: The Country And Women's Struggle
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FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
OPINION
1 April 2008
Posted to the web 1 April 2008
Amie Sillah
My Background
I am a trained public health officer. I have served the length and breadth of my country. Prior in my secondary school days I was a right fighter and fierce debater for Women's Rights. My family established a Nursery School since 1985 where children at 7 years can describe simple anatomy and physiology and can describe the human organs in simple English. They know the 53 states in Africa and their capitals. Children are taught gender relationship at this tender age to bring harmony into society. I am responsible for the Marriage and Family Life Column in the Foroyaa Tri weekly Newspaper re I entertain and educate couples to live meaningful lives in an African Cultural Setting. My stories are based on real life experiences. I am married to Mr. Sam Sarr, Managing Editor of the Foroyaa Newspaper. We are blessed with three kids, 2 sons and a daughter. The first son is an Engineer at the airport, the last son is studying IT systems in the U.S. The eldest daughter is a nurse and is married.
I have traveled widely to Africa, Europe, Asia and America. I have been attending the UN Commission on the status of Women since 2005. I have recently returned after attending the 52nd Edition of the CWS. Myself and Dr. Isatou Touray prepared the Gambia Report Beijing +10 the NGO perspective.
I believe in Women Solidarity that is our common ground. But I also recognized our differences, specificities, and our divergences. I believe we have to forge partnership with boys and men to change our country, Africa and the world. Together we can make a change that we can believe in.
Women On The Move History Of The Women Movement
"Women Have Always Held Up Half The Sky!"
Women have struggle for personal identity beyond being treated as property, slaves or sexual objects. The modern western industrial revolution and suffrage movements created movement for women's civil and legal rights.
1975: Mexico City, first World Conference on women. A plan for Action.
The participation of 100 nations recognized the potential and ideal status of women in society. It named obstacles to obtaining equal rights, opportunities and responsibilities for women. UN Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace
1976: The decade defined objectives of the women's movements: Equality, Development and Peace.
1980: Copenhagen, Second World Conference on Women: A Program for Action
Copenhagen interpreted equality beyond the legal definitions of equal rights responsibilities and opportunities to include the participation of women in development, both as beneficiaries and as active agents.
1985: Nairobi, Third World Conference on Women: Forward-Looking Strategies for Women (FLS)
Nairobi was characterized by challenges to mainstream development and was more inclusive of participation from the Global South.
1990: 5-year review of the Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies: Global momentum was seen to be slowing and the need for urgent action was expressed and affirmed. A re-awakening!
1995: Beijing, , Fourth World Conference On Women: Beijing Platform For Action (BPFA) 40,000 women from all over the World participated, providing voice and visibility to the political power of women, and illustrating the importance of the women's agenda to the wellbeing of the world.
2000: Beijing Plus Five (B+5): Special Session of the General Assembly (SSGA) An outcomes document listed the achievements for the advancement of women during the previous 5 years. It identified obstacles and current challenges to the process, and strengthened the BPFA by focusing action and addressing new issues.
2005: Beijing 10 (B+10)
A celebratory review of the implementation of the Beijing Platform and the outcomes document of the 23rd SSGA also looked current challenges and forward looking strategies since the SSGA.
2008: CSW52
Our Moment Is Now!!
World Conferences On Women
Mexico City 1975
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The first UN Conference on Women Coincided with the international Women's Year and served to remind the international community that discrimination against women continued to be persistent problem in much of the world. The flowing goals were established.
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