At least 70 stakeholders drawn from 8 communities in Jarra West and Central Districts of the Lower River Region recently attended a day’s sensitization forum on the role of women and youths in the political transformation in New Gambia.
Held at Felekoto village in Jarra West, the event saw presentations on Women’s Act, among a host of others.
It was being organized by the Community Development Unit in collaboration with Future in Our Hand the Gambia (FIOHTG).
Addressing the forum, Alimatou Marong, the FIOHTG Programme officer in the Lower River Region, outlined that the awareness creation forum targets women, youths and community leaders in the region.
The purpose of the forum, she went on, is meant to create a platform for participants to come together and discuss amongst themselves on issues regarding their political and socio-economic rights towards the transformation of New Gambia.
“As the local government election is in the offing, there is need for women and youths to come up and take proactive stance and the rights to be in the forefront in decision making processes in The Gambia,” he said.
Mustapha S.Koli, programme officer at Women’s Bureau office in Mansakonko, who is also a resource person at the event, highlighted that for development to be sustainable requires collective efforts from all Gambians, thus the need for the women and youths to taken up responsibility in their decision making processes rather than taking a back seat.
“We all have a role to play towards the social and economic and political emancipations of our country, but I must say that time has come for women and youths to graduates from the back bench and be at helm of decision making body to move our aspiration and developmental agenda,” he said