From The Independent

Absence of women in National Assembly is unacceptable

Gender activist asserts

The executive director of the Association for Promoting Girls and Women
Advancement Binta Sidibeh has said that the absence of women in the National
Assembly is an unacceptable situation, which will be put to an end.

Speaking to The Independent in an exclusive interview, Mrs. Sidibeh a gender
activist said that female activists in the country have done a lot of
positive things for the development of the country and will continue with
the trend which will climax to the time when many women are elected to the
National Assembly. She said that some women interviewed by them are very
keen on contesting for seats in the National Assembly.

According to her the women whom she stopped short of naming have already
been identified and encouraged to “step” into politics. Mrs. Sidibeh
revealed that they were thinking of allowing only one woman to contest in
each constituency where other contestants are men. She also said plans are
underway to talk to the leadership of existing political organisations to
field women as candidates some constituencies.

Reacting to a recent editorial in The Independent which criticised the
perceived lack of courage by educated Gambian women to involve in mainstream
politics and provoked them to do so, Mrs. Sidibeh described the suggestions
as very positive and challenging for women. She said its effect would
trigger women into action and remind gender activists of the need to take up
the challenge. “The presidential election has come and women were absent
especially the gender activists. Now that we are approaching the
parliamentary election, the question is whether women will remain silent”
she added. Mrs. Sidibeh pointed out that the position of women as
second-fiddles in Gambian society emanated from socio- cultural practices
and age-old traditional norms that have been reinforced through the years.

Therefore she said, women cannot be blamed for being dormant in a
male-dominated area like politics. Mrs. Sidibeh criticised men for not
giving chance to women to lead, saying “because women are seen as second
class citizens who must be led and told what to do.” Mrs. Sidibeh said that
FAWEGAM and APGWA have done a lot of sensitization exercises in politics and
the constitution. She said they have advocated earlier that women should be
actively involved in politics. She added that they have been trying to
ensure a level gender playing field, which should reflect within individual
parties. She said women have been participating in politics, but posited
that the representation by women in key political institutions is more
significant Mrs. Sidibeh promised that a female presidential candidate would
have been groomed in the next five years. She said the lack of resources and
the absence of good organisation the idea of a woman contesting for the
presidency in the last election was aborted.

She however, made it clear that a party with greater interest for the role
of women will be formed and will not be based on gender lines. Quizzed on
whether women are ready to contest as independent candidates in the National
Assembly election, Mrs. Sidibeh said that there are a few women who don’t
want to be identified with political parties but are prepared to contest on
their own ticket as independent candidates.






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