STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA AT THE LAUNCH OF THE 2025-2034 NATIONAL GENDER POLICY AND THE INAUGURATION OF THE NATIONAL WOMEN’S COUNCIL HELD AT THE SIR DAWDA KAIRABA JAWARA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE HALL ON 18TH NOVEMBER 2024

Honourable Speaker of The National Assembly, My Lord, The Chief Justice, Honourable Cabinet Ministers, Honourable Members of the National Assembly, Regional Governors, Senior Government Officials, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and the UN System, Incoming and Outgoing Members of The National Women's Council, Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of the Media,

Women’s empowerment is globally recognised as a cornerstone of a nation’s progress and prosperity. This makes my government very much alive to the fact that gender equality is key to delivering all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We hence embrace gender equality as a critical enabler and accelerator for Agenda 2030.

Committedly, the Government maintains that women and girls must enjoy their rights to education, health services, justice, security, and economic resources. This includes access to markets and the right to property.

We are determined, therefore, to protect these rights through legal and policy instruments that provide a blueprint for women’s empowerment and development. With this in mind, it gives me great honour to be here to officially launch The Gambia's National ten-year Gender Policy, 2025-2034, and to inaugurate the 2024-2029 National Women Council.

Ladies and gentlemen, today’s event is clear evidence of my government’s commitment to promoting gender equality, women's rights, and social justice for all citizens.

It brings to light the call for us to work hard towards building a nation and a future in which every woman and girl can succeed, free from discrimination, inequality, and violence.

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The new National Gender Policy Framework is an important milestone for The Gambia, as it provides a critical roadmap for transformative action to realise women’s rights within the broader framework of the country’s Constitution and progressive value systems.

The Policy contains the Government’s vision and a clearly defined intent to provide women with the relevant rights and opportunities to prosper as equal partners and citizens before the Law.

I am confident that the effective implementation of the Policy will contribute immensely to inclusive social and economic development; that is, development that cuts across all divides and allows women to play important and empowering roles without barriers.

Ladies and gentlemen, we recognise women as drivers of sustainable economic growth. For this reason, we have succeeded, to a large extent, in closing the gender gap at the primary and secondary education levels, and we are determined to attain similar success at our tertiary education level.

The launch of this policy and the inauguration of the National Women’s Council are not empty symbolic activities; rather, the occasion marks a giant step towards achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment in The Gambia.

The event has come at a time when the global community is reinforcing its commitment to the SDGs, particularly Goal 5, which seeks to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

In The Gambia, women and girls play a pivotal role in the socio-economic development of the nation. We appreciate them as the backbone of our communities, contributing significantly to various sectors.

Unfortunately, they face numerous challenges that hinder their full participation in certain aspects of life.

These challenges include gender-based violence, limited access to education, due to social and cultural factors, inadequate healthcare and economic opportunities, unfair social norms, and under-representation in decision-making positions

The National Gender Policy, 2025-2034, is our roadmap to address such challenges comprehensively. It builds on the progress of the previous policy frameworks, while setting new priorities and strategies for the next decade to ensure that no one is left behind.

The Policy aims to provide a strategic framework for the systematic integration of gender equality issues into all sectors of national development.

Furthermore, it is formulated to promote a culture of respect for women’s rights and to ensure that women and men enjoy equal opportunities in every aspect of life.

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The journey towards gender equality is a collective one, and it starts with the commitment of every Gambian, especially those of us present here. Certainly, the in-coming Council has a huge role to play in this journey. Fortunately, the Policy adequately provides for us to move forward together, with a common vision and shared purpose.

Allow me now to express sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, Honourable Fatou Kinteh, the Ministry staff, and all stakeholders who contributed to the development of the policy.

I also extend my heartfelt gratitude to our development partners, particularly the African Development Bank, for their technical and financial assistance to this initiative.

I am confident that, with everyone on board, we can make this vision a reality. Let us continue to work tirelessly to make sure that every woman and girl in The Gambia lives a life free from discrimination, violence, and inequality.

Let us create a future where they can work, succeed, and lead with dignity and respect.

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I now have the honour to officially launch and inaugurate, respectively, the 2025-2034 National Gender Policy and the 17th National Women Council, 2024-2029.

Thank you for your attention.