Group Photo Of The Participants
By Ramatoulie Jawo
As part of its observance of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the UNFPA, in collaboration with its partners, hosted a day-long sensitization session for the security sector at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center in Bijilo.
The event aimed to engage key actors in the security sector through discussions and training on gender-based violence, with the goal of enhancing their ability to effectively prevent and respond to such incidents.
UN officials emphasized that the initiative reflects the UN’s commitment to strengthening national capacities for gender mainstreaming within The Gambia’s defense and security services. This effort is seen as a vital step in tackling the critical challenges surrounding sexual and gender-based violence, which is central to advancing gender equality and protecting human rights.
The major security agencies involved included the Gambia Police Force, the Gambia Armed Forces, the Gambia Immigration Department, the Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Gambia Prison Services, the State Intelligence Agency, the Fire and Rescue Services, the Gambia Revenue Authority, and the Attorney General’s Chambers.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign observed annually from November 25 to December 10, during which communities worldwide unite to raise awareness and take action to eliminate violence against women and girls.
During the event, the UN Resident Coordinator, Karl Frederik Paul, highlighted the significance of the initiative, stressing its role in equipping those on the front lines of justice and security with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to address gender-based violence effectively.
“As we know, barriers such as inadequate training, entrenched stigma, and limited survivor centered resources hinder our progress yet amidst these challenges lie many opportunities for transformation today’s event is a chance to equip those at the front line of justice and security with the knowledge skills, and tools to address gender based violence effectively,” he emphasized.
Paul also pointed out that nearly half of women aged 15 to 49 in The Gambia have experienced physical violence at least once in their lives. He stressed that these figures represent not just statistics, but real stories of pain and resilience, underscoring the urgent need for change.
“These numbers are not just statistics, they are stories of pain, resilience, and the urgent need for change. Gender based violence disproportionately affects women and girls, leaving long-lasting social and economic impacts,” he said.
He stressed that for every woman and girl who reports these crimes, there are likely to be many more who remain silent or unrecorded.
The dates for the 16 Days of Activism were chosen to align with significant global milestones: November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and December 10, Human Rights Day, marking the adoption of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights in 1948.
Assistant Inspector General of Police, Ebrima Bah, highlighted the widespread prevalence of gender-based violence, both in The Gambia and globally. He emphasized that tackling this issue requires a collective effort and commended the event as timely and necessary.
Bah also noted the establishment of the Gambia Police Force network, which demonstrates their commitment to promoting gender mainstreaming within the police force. He emphasized that female officers play a crucial role in combating gender-based violence through dialogue, advocacy, and community engagement.
“You will all agree with me that Gender-Based Violence remains alarmingly prevalent across all quarters of society in the Gambia and globally the collective effort to end the social menace becomes everyone’s business therefore, bringing all the key security agencies and other major stakeholder together to discuss and exchanges ideas geared towards fighting and to complete eradicate Gender Based Violence is timely and commendable,” he said.
He emphasized that as law enforcement agents, they hold crucial roles within the criminal justice system of The Gambia, alongside the Judiciary and the Attorney General’s Office.
“All of us can unite in the elimination of violence against women and girls, making use of the existing laws and other legal instruments relative to gender based violence and violence against women and children,” he said.He encouraged all participants to seize the opportunity to learn and share the knowledge gained from the training with their colleagues.
Superintendent Mariama Jallow, one of the participants, expressed her expectations during the session, emphasizing her readiness to share the insights she acquires with colleagues who were unable to attend.
“As a female officer, I think it is very impressive to have this kind of engagement become most of the time we face sexual abuses, discrimination of our gender, so I believe this training will help us a lot. And in this training we are expected to sheared knowledge we gained with our colleagues who could not make to the training,” she said.
She encouraged young girls to become agents of change by reporting their cases to the appropriate authorities.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), violence against women is a global issue that transcends borders and cultures, impacting millions of women and girls. In The Gambia, United Nations agencies reaffirmed their commitment to working alongside the government to combat gender-based violence in the country.