Importance
1. Importance
Gender equality is a matter of human rights. All human beings, irrespective of gender, deserve the same rights, treatment, and opportunities. Giving people the same treatment is a basic acknowledgment of the dignity to which everyone is entitled.
Gender equality is also important for instrumental reasons. Women constitute half of the Gambian population. Denying such a high proportion of the population rights and opportunities constrains their ability to contribute meaningfully to the country's socio-economic activities. The country becomes poorer as a result.
Addressing gender equality can be as difficult as it is important. Gender norms are well entrenched for social, cultural, and religious reasons. Advocating for change sometimes requires going against traditions that have existed for generations. Some of these gender norms are benign, while others are socially and economically damaging to individuals and society as a whole. Progress requires changing norms that violate individual dignity or retard national progress.
2. Status Quo of Gender Equality
It is acknowledged that The Gambia has made significant strides in gender equality over the years. This includes gender parity up to secondary level education and a relatively low maternal mortality rate (354 per 100,000) – though this still represents a very high level of mortality nonetheless. Despite some of these bright spots, gender equality has taken several steps backward since the current government came to power. One of the most glaring manifestations of this regression has been the drive to overturn the ban on female circumcision. Thankfully, this did not happen, but the drive to overturn the ban underscores the general slide in progress that has occurred across a range of other cross-cutting issues.
What the above example exemplifies is the absence of leadership from authorities. As a result, there have not been sustained improvements in gender equality. It is therefore not surprising that the country currently ranks 121 out of 200 countries in gender equality.
current state
Intervention
3. Government
As with youth issues, the current government's approach to addressing the cross-cutting issue of gender guarantees that progress will be slow. There is no appreciation of the importance of coordination that is central to managing a cross-cutting issue. In addition, there is a prevalence of government enacting policies and legislation without actually paying attention to execution.
a. Lack of proper coordination for a cross-cutting issue: Like youth issues, gender is an issue that cuts across several sectors. These sectors include education, health, industry, and many others. As a result, many ministries have relevant responsibilities when it comes to addressing gender inequality. A single Ministry of Gender, without a well-developed coordination role across the government, will not sustainably advance the gender equality agenda in the country. The Ministry simply remains a talking shop with little meaningful change on the ground.
b. Inadequate enforcement: On paper, The Gambian government seems to have achieved a lot in addressing gender inequality. For instance, a significant number of relevant pieces of legislation have been enacted in recent years. These include the Women's Amendment Act (2015), the Children's Amendment Act (2016), the Domestic Violence Act (2013), and the Sexual Offences Act (2013), among others. However, the enforcement of most of these pieces of legislation is lacking. Therefore, to the extent that progress has been registered in various domains, it is not because of these legislations that exist only on paper, but in spite of them.
c. Formal positions versus practice: The absence of practical changes on the ground despite the introduction of new documents extends to policies and strategies. For example, the government recently passed the National Gender Policy 2025-2034. As a gender-sensitive policy document, it is well drafted. However, actual government actions fall far short of the exalted goals espoused by those documents. A good example is the purported 24-hour hotline for victims of gender-based violence that is supposed to be operational. Most of the time, there is no answer when one calls the line, particularly at night.
4. PPA's Solutions
Females constitute half of the Gambian population. Gender equality is both an issue of human rights and tremendous societal opportunity. Our government will give this issue the seriousness it demands through the following actions:
a. Recognizing the cross-cutting nature of gender: The PPA-led government will start with the basic recognition that gender is a cross-cutting issue. A stand-alone Ministry of Gender that does not recognize this basic fact will not advance gender equality in the country. Our government will put in place a coordinating mechanism that will extend to all sectors relevant to gender.
b. Legal and institutional framework: Existing laws that were enacted to address gender gaps all date back to the previous regime, which was a dictatorship. It is high time that the country addresses gender equality with the seriousness it deserves. The PPA-led government will undertake an immediate review of existing relevant legislation, policies, and strategies and implement updates where they are needed.
c. Increased advocacy: Passing laws and new policies are rarely enough to change norms that have been entrenched for generations. When legal and institutional frameworks are improved, they must be accompanied by well-designed advocacy to align societal attitudes. The PPA-led government will work with civil society actors, community leaders, and other stakeholders to ensure that legislation, policies, and strategies are accompanied by actual implementation on the ground.
d. Increased representation in decision-making: The Gambia now has fewer women in decision-making positions than it did during the Yahya Jammeh administration. Currently, less than 10% of National Assembly seats are held by women. The PPA-led government will work across parties to increase the number of female candidates. This will be achieved by increasing their participation at the grassroots level so as to develop a sustainable pipeline of talent that will produce future leaders.
solutions
e. Increased human capital investments: Some of the biggest contributors to gender equality involve increased investments in education and health. The Gambia has a long way to go toward proper investments in these sectors. The PPA-led government will provide the investments needed in these sectors essential for human capital formation, thereby accelerating progress toward gender equality.
f. Greater financial inclusion: The gender gap remains high in many areas of entrepreneurship. Female-owned firms in The Gambia are smaller, partly as a result of lower access to finance from larger financial institutions. Women’s ownership of assets such as land is far lower than that of men, which is an important determinant of access to finance.
g. Support for the horticultural sector: Greater assistance to the vegetable sub-sector will not only enhance gender equality but will also improve food security. Women account for over 90% of small-scale vegetable production. Yet, this is a sector that receives little attention from the government. The PPA-led government will prioritize the provision of assistance to this sub-sector through the provision of needed inputs (seeds and fertilizer), irrigation, fence protection, modern storage, and marketing infrastructure.
h. Investments in women-dominated activities: There are many economic activities today in The Gambia that are female dominated. These include small-scale fish processing and the marketing of vegetables in markets. Individuals engaged in these economic activities face significant challenges such as high daily tax rates and lack of facilities. The PPA-led government
Follow us on @ Electionify
