Nams Push for Matrimonial Legislation Time to commend the sisters in the NAM. Malanding Email This Page Print This Page Visit The Publisher's Site The Daily Observer (Banjul) March 26, 2003 Posted to the web March 26, 2003 Pa Malick Faye Banjul Some female members of the National Assembly have tabled a matrimonial legislation which they say will help safeguard the womenfolk who are normally disadvantaged in their matrimonial homes. Speaking on the adjournment debate last week Duta Kamaso, Member for Wuli West, said the new legislation if agreed upon, will help the womenfolk in their marriages for they have been on the disadvantaged side for a long time. "This does not mean that we are gender bias or that we are trying to bring in a law to defy our husbands but it is all about empowering women in their matrimonial homes. "We respect the menfolk and we will accord them their dues but I think women are suffering in their marriages and they need help," she said. Fatoumata Jahumpa Ceesay, Nominated Member, said the proposed legislation is necessary and described it as "overdue." "I think we need protection in our marriages because most of the time we are disadvantaged. This law will protect both parties and will help promote matrimonial harmony. I only hope that the men will not see this as a challenge to their authority," she posited. Ndey Njie, Member for Lower Saloum, said: "this bill should be supported by all sides in the Assembly because it will safeguard our marriages for good. Many women are left in dilemma after divorce and if there is such a legislation, it will make men start to rethink their actions before taking unfair decisions during divorce." Khalifa Kambi, Member for Kiang West, disagreed with the women parliamentarians stance describing the proposed legislation as "unnecessary and not in the interest of matrimonial harmony. I think we should do away with such a legislation and continue with our traditional practices regarding matrimonial issues." Mr Kambi's remarks did not auger well for Duta Kamaso, Member for Wuli West, who reminded him of the long suffering of Gambian women who now need solace. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Make allAfrica.com your home page ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Top | Site Français | Site Guide | Who We Are | Advertising ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Copyright © 2003 The Daily Observer. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). Click here to contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Questions or Comments? Contact us. Read our Privacy Statement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~