FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Awa B. Bah
6 November 2009
interview
Journalists from different media establishments were invited to interview the Vice President in connection with her consultative exercise with stakeholders in preparation for the Beijing plus 10 Conference scheduled to take place in the Gambia . Foroyaa interviewed the Vice President.
The first policy for the advancement of women comes to an end this year. What are the achievements and shortcomings in implementation?
Women issues cut across all sectors. You have to cover all sectors even beyond the twelve critical areas of Beijing .Any sector you tell me today I will be able to talk on that. Women in decision-making for example. Records speak for themselves. We know where we were before the beginning of this policy and where we are now because the policy started in 1999 and is ending in 2009 that is ten years.
So within those ten years, the number of female Ministers for example that have been appointed in the cabinet. The required percentage for the United Nation is 30 percent. At least countries have to meet their 30 percent marks. We have reached the 30 percent mark. At the National Assembly we have not reached that but we have gone far.
Members who are female are even elected and most of those who are nominated by the president are females. When it comes to the local government structures, when you look at the Area Council, for example, and the Alkalos at the lower levels, the figures may not be reliable and desirable but we have improved and now we have five female Alkalos.
When you look at women councillors, we have reached a mark of 25 to 27 women who are elected at the grassroots level and also those who are appointed. The figure is big and is an improvement.
Also women at the VDC level and at the District level who are occupying positions of authority show that there is an improvement and in fact at the VDC level, 50 percent are women. So there is a mark of improvement. When we look at the public service the mark is also the same and also women ambassadors, the story is the same.
How far has the government gone with the plan to enact a Women's Act. What are the intended benefits?
We are still on it. I said it on the TV that a Women's Bill cuts across all sectors. Therefore, in order to come up with a Women's Bill, for example, women in agriculture, we cannot just come up with a Women's Bill without consulting them, that is obvious.
We should always consult the key players concerning our intended bill. So once we consult them, we come up with the figures and that is the time when we take it to the cabinet and then from there to the National Assembly. So it is still a consultation process.
Foroyaa: There is a view that the most effective way to protect women's rights is to have an independent women's commission which will monitor violations and protect and promote women's rights. What is your view on this?
It depends. Every country has it own specificity. For us we feel that we have a National Women's Council and that is adequate for our purposes. They are reporting on policies and concerns of women and the challenges that women face. Women at the grass roots level speak for themselves. When you ask them, they tell you the challenges that they face.
You have women speaking for themselves at the VDC level and at all levels women speak for themselves. The National Assembly for example, our legislators can represent women's interest in their debates. In the cabinet we do the same thing. We raise issues concerning women's welfare in particular and everybody in general. It depends on the country because we have different structures.
The persistent problem of women gardeners is the lack of adequate marketing facility for their produce. What plan do you have to address this problem?
I know it is a concern for His Excellency. It is a concern for the Government of the Gambia and a concern for the women themselves and is a concern for all the sectors that are key players in this area. But it is being looked at and there are various things that are been designed and I know that definitely there are moves to ensure that the marketing of women's products will be implemented.
Currently government is studying and is coming up with a marketing policy with regards to women's products. And we can see that the president has been encouraging a lot of investors who will invest in the Gambia and come up with industries that would address this issue. Because most of these products, you have to add value to them to attract a good price and how can you add value? It is through industrialisation.
We are encouraging a lot of investors, for example, in the production of tomato paste. That is one way of addressing it because the market gardeners really face that problem in terms of adding value to their produce because they are dealing with perishable products, so that they can preserve as well as conserve. The food processors associations are doing the same thing. So the Ministry of trade has different policies in place and is working closely with other international organisations such as the WTO and others and is looking at ways of marketing women's products.
So there is some marketing going on. It is just that we as Africans don't have those opportunities. The market outlets are limited. That is not just the Gambia but the whole countries of the South. It is definitely a challenge when it comes to marketing. And today as I am talking to you because of the credit crunch and the economic down turn, even the developed world don't have as broad a market as they want to have right now. So it is a big global challenge.
Foroyaa: Could you explain the government policy on free education for girls? Many parents who are still paying are confused about the policy.
Well there is no need for any confusion, you can have a policy and reach a certain percentage. When we say free education for girls it does not mean hundred percent. Maybe we have eighty percent to eighty-five percent. I cannot tell the figure but if you go to PEGEP and Basic Education they will tell you. But what is important is to realise the gains that have been made over time. Judge where we were before and where we are today. I think that is the best way to know and judge whether there is progress or not.
And we have heard the figures we have been talking about with regards to gender parity at the basic level whether it is lower basic or upper basic and even that we have more girls than boys as a result of this policy that the government has. The PEGEP programme, the girl education trust fund and his Excellency himself fund education.
We see it everyday that people are appreciating it that the president is funding their education. Just compare before and now and then you will be able to judge progress.
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