By Binta Jaiteh
A two-day national conference on Women’s Political Participation and Representation opened Monday at Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara (SDKJ) Conference Centre.
The conference is being organized by The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) and its partners.
The conference aims to assess progress made and identify gaps in women’s political participation since the country’s democratic transition in 2016.
Opening the forum, International IDEA Secretary-General Dr. Kevin Casas-Zamora says nine years after the transition, The Gambia has significant achievements to celebrate, particularly its vibrant civic space and strengthened democratic institutions.
However, he notes that women’s political representation remains critically low.
“Women make up more than half of the population, yet they occupy only 8.6 percent of elected seats in the National Assembly. This is far below the 30 percent benchmark recommended by the Beijing Platform for Action,” Dr. Casas-Zamora said.
Speaking on behalf of the European Union Ambassador, Enya Braun says the theme of the conference highlights a persistent imbalance in decision-making spaces.
“While women are active in society, they are too often absent from formal decision-making structures. This must change,” she said, questioning how a society can claim to be democratic when more than half of its population remains underrepresented.
She reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to gender equality and inclusivity, stressing that political representation is not a privilege but a fundamental right and a proven asset for democratic governance.
Representing the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Abdoulie Ceesay says The Gambia stands at a critical stage in consolidating its democracy.
He pointed out that women constitute about 57 percent of registered voters and play a central role in political mobilization, yet their presence in executive positions, local councils and the national assembly does not reflect this reality.
“As the People’s House, Parliament must be inclusive. Political parties must dismantle gatekeeping barriers and move beyond using women solely as mobilisers to investing in them as candidates,” he said.
The conference is expected to consolidate stakeholder efforts to address systemic barriers, develop a unified strategy, and produce policy recommendations and capacity-building initiatives aimed at inspiring a new generation of women leaders in Gambian politics.
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By Binta Jaiteh A two-day national conference on Women’s Political Participation and Representation opened Monday at Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara…
The post Gambia Hosts National Conference on Women’s Participation in Politics appeared first on .
