Deputy Speaker Urges Lawmakers to Champion Women’s Rights

By Fatou Krubally

Deputy Speaker of The Gambia’s National Assembly, Hon. Seedy SK Njie, has made a strong call to global parliamentarians to actively defend women’s rights, warning that inaction in the face of discrimination is complicity. His remarks came during the parliamentary event held on September 24 at the High-Level Week of the 80th UN General Assembly in New York.

Speaking under the theme “Beijing +30: Parliaments Leading the Way,” Njie reflected on the progress achieved over the past 30 years in women’s empowerment while highlighting the persistent gaps that still hinder equality. The event brought together 50 participants, including 27 members of parliament from 17 countries across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, reinforcing a shared global commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Njie stressed that achieving true equality requires leadership, accountability, and tangible action. “Women and girls should not have to ask for their rights; those rights are intrinsic to their humanity. Parliamentarians must ensure history remembers us not as bystanders, but as champions who use our voices and our votes to protect the most vulnerable,” he said.

He urged lawmakers to translate commitments into concrete results through legislation, budget allocations, and inclusive leadership practices. Njie also emphasized that men and women must stand together in promoting equality, pointing out that progress is always the product of deliberate and determined leadership that refuses to accept inequality as inevitable.

Sharing the podium with distinguished global leaders, including Ms. Cynthia López Castro, President of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians; Lord Fakafanua, Speaker of Tonga’s Parliament; Mr. Martin Chungong, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU); and Ms. Nahla Haider, Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Njie highlighted the importance of international collaboration in strengthening women’s political participation and leadership worldwide.

Concluding his remarks, Deputy Speaker Njie issued a clear challenge to lawmakers: “The time for rhetoric has passed; the time for action is now. Let us lead by example and ensure gender equality is protected, promoted, and practised in every corner of society.”

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 By Fatou Krubally Deputy Speaker of The Gambia’s National Assembly, Hon. Seedy SK Njie, has made a strong call to…
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