The forum was meant to introduce the participants to Musawah (equality).

According to Dr.Isatou Touray, Executive Director Gamcotrap, Musawah is a global movement for equality and justice in the Muslim family. Its overall goal she said, is to provide support for national and regional initiatives that are pushing for equality and justice in Muslim family laws and practices by sharing information, tools and analysis of justifications for reform and by ensuring visibility on the issues.

Musawah she said declares that change is necessary because many Muslim family laws and practices are unjust and do not respond to the lives and experience of Muslim families and individuals. She stated, “Musawah declares that change is possible through a framework of equality and justice that is consistent with Islamic teachings, universal human rights principles, fundamental rights and constitutional guarantees and the lived realities of women and men today”.

She revealed that the movement and its declaration of practices will be launched at a global meeting to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in February 2009.

Other speakers at the meeting included Dr. Omar Jah, Aja Maimuna Savage, Imam Baba Leigh and Mrs. Adelaide Sosseh Gaye. They both welcomed the initiative and principles of Musawah. Speakers also acknowledge the various forms of injustice that women are facing in our societies, which thus calls for change.

Hon. Sidia Jatta, board chairperson of Gamcotrap advised women to seek for knowledge. He described knowledge as the fundamental tool to effect change. He asserted, “Change is brought by people who are committed, courageous, determined, sincere and organised”.

The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practice affecting the health of Women and children (GAMCOTRAP) in partnership with Save the Children, on Thursday, organized a day long sensitization on traditional practices, sexual and reproductive health at Paradise Suite Hotel.

The programme was centred on presentation and discussion of the role of community leaders in protecting the girl-child from female genital mutilation (FGM)

Declaring the workshop opened, Lamin Sanneh, governor, Western region said the government of The Gambia under the dynamic leadership of President Jammeh has  created the necessary legal framework and code of conduct on traditional practices especially on sexual and reproductive rights.

He commended GAMCOTRAP and its partners for organizing such a programme adding that is very important as it came at a time when women and children issues are being tabled at the National Assembly for action. Governor Sanneh urge participants to take the workshop seriously noting that it takes a man to build partnership but in the same vein it takes a woman to strengthen the partnership and by extension build a nation.

For her part, Dr Isatou Touray, executive director, GAMCOTRAP, thanked participants for honoring their invitation.

According to her, her organization has always been in the forefront in advocating for the welfare of women and the girl-child and tackling issues that affect them such as circumcision. She thanked the President for being in the forefront in empowering women in the country.

Dr Touray concluded by calling for more support in their quest to support women empowerment.

In setting the context of the training, the Executive Director of GAMCOTRAP Dr. Isatou Touray explained to the gathering that her organization is not against cultures and traditions but to analyse them critically to come up with practices that protect the rights of women and girls. She noted the trends in perceptions on traditional practices are changing towards a positive direction as communities and families are protecting girls from FGM, early marriage amongst others harmful traditional practices, which led to the first national declaration of the Dropping of the Knife Initiative in May 2007. Dr. Touray highlighted the challenges of dealing with mobile circumcisers from Senegal who cross the borders into The Gambia to practice FGM, because there is no law in the Gambia to protect girl children against FGM.

Alkalo Fatou Danso of Kaba Kama who worked as a nurse midwife in the Upper River Region shared her experience on the effects FGM and early marriage has on women and girls.

Traditional communicators locally called Kanyelengholu created songs to support the campaign to stop female genital mutilation-FGM at bantanto. The relics of the songs are based on the messages on the effects FGM has on women and girls, women’s rights and empowerment.

In his contribution, the head AIkalo of Fuladu, Kebba Kora of Bansang called for a stop to FGM and pointed out the need for a law to stop the practice. AIkalo Kebba Kora pledged to sensitize all the one hundred and thirty-two Alkalolu under his jurisdiction for them to be aware that FGM has serious implications on the sexual and reproductive health of women and work towards freeing their communities from the practice. He finally called on parents to educate their daughters and emulate GAMCOTRAP women as role models. All the speakers at the Bantanto training expressed their support to the campaign to stop FGM, including the council of elders of Bantanto village.

Speaking on behalf of the women of Sare Jibel, Chedo Jawo thanked GAMCOTRAP and asserted that FGM has nothing to do with Islam but was merely about jealousy. She called on women to protect their children from the practice. Similar sentiments were expressed by Jabou Janneh of Mabally Kuta and noted that they have observed the effects the practice has on women’s health. In reiterating their support to the campaign, Penda Sanyang the Traditional Birth Attendant of Mabally Koto confirmed that their village circumciser, Adama Damba has stop practicing FGM and has the support of the community.

The training was highlighted with the public declaration to stop FGM by another circumciser in the CRR, Jainaba Kanteh of Mabally Kuta, and she received Five thousand Dalasi as support to start an alternative income activity. She was supported by her village Alkalo Alhajie Lamin Janneh, her family members and other village representatives.

Women Leaders in FONI trained on Female Genital Mutilation

Over twenty women leaders from Foni Jarrol, Bintang Karanai, Bondali and Kansala Districts in the Western Region had recently converged at Bwiam Lodge for a three days training on sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls against harmful traditional practices.

In his welcome remarks the Alkalo of Bwiam, Musa Amul Nyassi expressed appreciation of GAMCOTRAP’s role in national development and called on the women leaders to seize the opportunity to have direct access to information that can empower them and be prepared to share it with their followership.

In leading the opening prayers, Imam Alhajie Babou Ceesay of Bwiam prayed for peace, stability and a successful training programme.

The three days training supported by Forum Syd through NIYO amongst other things exposed participants to the different components of sexual and reproductive health issues women and girls are face with, clarifications on religion, FGM and women’s rights, the International Conventions, Regional Protocols, National laws and policies ratified by The Gambia to promote the rights of women and children.

Emphasising on the important role women leaders can play in reaching out to more women to protect girls from female genital mutilation, early marriage and the promotion of women’s rights, Dr. Touray enlightened the participants on the advocacy role of GAMCOTRAP for the advancement and empowerment of women and children. In responding to the call for step down community and district training in Foni, Dr. Touray pledged that all efforts would be done to get the required resources needed in reaching out to communities. “The pace has been set for total eradication of FGM, once the level of awareness on the effects of FGM is increased, community consensus to stop the practice is irresistible” she concluded.

The participating Foni women leaders reached consensus that FGM should stop and they all pledged to share the knowledge gained and would advocate for the eradication of the practice. It could be noted that this training was earlier preceded by training of over fifty Traditional Birth Attendants and female circumcisers from the five districts of Foni.

Over fifty Traditional Birth Attendants and Circumcisers from the five districts of Foni, participated at a three day workshop held in Sibanor, Foni Bintang Karanai. In his welcoming remark, the Governor of Western Region, Mr. Abdou Badgie welcomed GAMCOTRAP in Foni and said that they are happy that the organization is also engaging the Foni area towards the eradication of female genital mutilation - FGM. He reminded the Traditional birth Attendants the important role they play in promoting maternal and child health in particular. Speaking to the circumcisers, the governor noted that despite the fact that FGM is a deep rooted tradition, health is a basic human right to be protected by all. Making reference to the content of the programme, Governor Badjie noted the importance of the issues for discussion based on facts and reiterated the need to stop harmful traditional practices. He appealed to participants to reflect on the economic dimension of celebration of initiation ceremonies in the midst of increased poverty. Governor Badgie added that, eradication of poverty will be difficult while there are extravagance in lifestyles. He posited that with good health, there can be good economic productivity and appreciated the solidarity among women. Mr. Abdou Badgie commended GAMCOTRAP as an important organization on women and children’s health rights in the Gambia.

Chairing the opening ceremony. the Executive Director of GAMCOTRAP Dr. Isatou Touray, informed the gathering that this is the first project specifically for Foni and was developed with women’s participation and with support from Forum Syd through NIYO, a Swedish based organization. Dr. Touray noted that if the pilot year of the project is successful, there is possibility to extend it for multiple years.

Speaking at the opening, the Chief of the Bintang Karanai district, Chief Mustapha Camara expressed delight to witness the opening and was aware that the initiative is to establish women’s health. He reminded participants that the focus of the meeting is on culture and that research has revealed FGM as harmful and should be stopped. He said the President of the republic relies on the women for development and that they should use the opportunity to discuss the issues during the three days. Alkalo Sarjo  ,Ceesay of Sibanor also welcomed GAMCOTRAP and called on the participants to act on the knowledge gathered during the training.

At the end of the training, participants expressed their commitment to stop FGM, and called on GAMCOTRAP to advocate for FGM to be included in the school curriculum. They appealed to government to put in place laws against FGM and promised to report back to their Alkalolu and conduct meetings with young mothers of the child bearing age.

The Community Health Nurse in Sibanor, Yaya Jallow appreciated the training and pledged to give support to the Community Based Facilitators to organized village based meetings to share the information they gathered during the workshop. He reminded the Traditional Birth Attendants that they should play their role to stop FGM by talking to mothers at delivery.

Women’s leader, Nano Touray of Sibanor, thanked the participants for the good turnout, and called on Foni to be part of the campaign and take the lead in the fight against FGM.

Meanwhile, over three hundred participants from Kulari, Garawol and Tinkinjo villages in the Upper River Region participated in a series of training workshops on sexual and reproductive health organized by GAMCOTRAP and supported by FOKUS through the NKFT in Norway.

One of the resource persons, Oustass Muhamadou Sanuwo, focused on making clarifications on the misconception that FGM is not a religious injunction. The Imam of Kulari, Musa Touray also blessed the gathering and said it was through discussions and educating people that Islam was spread and that everyone is seeking to have good health and was happy that the workshop took place to enlighten them.

At Garawol in URR, Imam Alhajie Abdoulie Conteh welcomed GAMCOTRAP and noted that it takes time to eradicate deep-rooted practices like FGM, however, he prayed that the truth be established. He used the occasion to call on parents to take up their responsibility to address causes of teenage pregnancy.

Having been exposed to the various issues around FGM, from the point of view of tradition, religion, health and the rights of women and children, the participants reached consensus that FGM should stop and their village circumcisers, Sarjo Damba of Kulari, Hatou Kanteh and Bai Kanteh of Garawol and Haja Mabintou Bahaga of Tinkinjo publicly declared to their communities that they would never practice FGM again. They all believed they were doing it to get blessing but did not realised how much harm it caused women and girls. They were supported by mothers, fathers and some of their community leaders at their various gatherings to protect girls from FGM and to promote the reproductive health of women in adult life. The Chief of Kantora Alhajie Bachu Ceesay and Basori Orammeh hosted the Garawol and Tinkinjo workshops respectively.

“The empowerment of women is irrevocably tied to the safety, security, and prosperity of the world. The enfranchisement of women can no longer be a simple aspiration”, said US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice in the inauguration of international women of courage, and quoted by the American ambassador Barry wells. The recent award to Dr Isatou Touray, the executive director of Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices  (GAMCOTRAP ) as ‘woman of courage’ by the American Embassy is a real joy for all women in The Gambia because this serves as a signal to women that the struggle and women’s contribution to national development has been recognized not only by the Gambian government but also by the international community. This award is timely and is not a surprise for that matter, because women like Dr Touray deserve such recognition as she is always in the forefront in fighting for the rights of women.

 During the award ceremony, the American ambassador to The Gambia, Barry Wells, has said that in 2007 the Department of State established the Secretary of State’s international Women of Courage Award. Through this annual award, he added, the United States honors the courage of extraordinary women worldwide who have played transformative roles in their societies. “ Each year, U.S. Embassies around the world are invited to nominate women from their respective countries. In 2007 the US.Embassy in Banjul nominated Hannah Forster, Executive Director of the African Center on Democracy and Human Rights Studies.  Ambassador Wells described women as essential agents in bringing about change and an often overlooked resource in the preservation of human security, in overcoming transnational dangers, and in managing threats arising from tyranny, trafficking, poverty, and disease.

Wells further went on to say that the achievement of the United States’ mission of advancing democracy, prosperity, and security worldwide, was not possible without the empowerment of women. “ If women cannot participate in the political process, there can be no real democracy, if they are deprived of economic opportunity, development is crippled, and if women are not educated, they cannot pass knowledge to their children, and there is no true security for the next generation.

Ambassador Wells however agreed that poverty is more rampant when women lack education and economic opportunity, and justice is thwarted when women are denied the right to play a political role in their nations.  He added, “And in today’s modern world, no country can achieve lasting success, stability, and security, if half of its population is sitting on the sidelines. On that note we are encouraged by the leadership of women of The Gambia at all levels in the governance of the nation.”

 Finally, Ambassador Wells urged the international community to make sure that they hear the voices of women and account for their concerns whenever they seek to establish or to keep the peace.  “If we do that, we are actually making the job of keeping the peace easier,” he emphasized.

In receiving the award Dr Touray expressed appreciation and highlighted the work they do in GAMCOTRAP which she said is grounded in grassroots activism, working with communities in trying to understand the issues inimical to their health and well being.

GAMCOTRAP, she noted, is a Women’s Rights NGO, which promotes women’s social, political, economic and cultural rights and specifically focuses on sexual and reproductive health rights. The organization creates awareness on Traditional Practices and aims at the preservation of beneficial practices as well as the elimination of harmful traditional practices that are inimical to the well being of women and children, particularly the girl-child.

“GAMCOTRAP focuses on the following objectives:

1. To carry out research into traditional practices that affect the sexual and reproductive health of women and girl children in The Gambia.

2. To identify and promote traditional practices which improve the status of girl-children and women.

3. To create awareness on the effects of harmful traditional practices on the health of girl-children and women, in particular FGM, nutritional taboos, child/early marriages and wife inheritance etc’.

 Dr Touray added that in pursuit of their mandate, GAMCOTRAP was able to work closely with target groups in communities that are critical to its advocacy on Women and children’s rights in The Gambia. “ I am pleased to inform you that GAMCOTRAP in collaboration with the Government of the Gambia through its community sensitization program have achieved some positive change through its advocacy work. Among these are the signing and ratification of the international conventions namely the CRC, CEDAW, The African Protocol on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol)’. She however applauded the government of The Gambia for the positive stand they have taken in providing formal equality for women.  Touray also urged the NAMS to pass the Women’s Bill which is currently under review and call on the Government of The Gambia to initiate the promulgation of a law banning Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

“Rights education in the communities has brought in changes in some communities. You can only demand your rights when you know what rights you have, and can only execute the rights when you know for what purpose. As I speak today 18 Sheroines have understood the relevant articles in all the international women’s rights conventions to have reached the decision to stop Female Genital Mutilation. Their decision to stop has saved many girl children from experiencing the effects of FGM, thus improving the maternal and child mortality rates of Gambia’s health index. “Rights can only have meaning when people are able to uphold them close to home and their practices,” she disclosed.

Dr Touray however pointed out that 40 more circumcisers would be joining the former ones to celebrate yet another declaration by communities to continue to protect their children from FGM.

Dr Touray finally accepted the award with honour to GAMCOTRAP, all its members and the Community Based Facilitators who have been engaged in the struggle for promoting women’s and children’s rights, and also appreciated the support and assistance rendered by the Local Government Structures who work closely with them to facilitate positive change.

“This honour gives us the courage and commitment to continue the work we are doing. The sacrifice is worth it because of the difference it makes in the life of the poor, vulnerable and powerless people we serve.

We are committed in the work we do because there are people who believe in the cause we stand for, and who provide the support needed to continue engaging constructively with the communities we serve. “This initiative is one of such recognition made in our honour,” she concluded.

We extend our warm congratulations to Dr. Isatou Touray of GAMCOTRAP who was honoured by the United States Embassy yesterday as Embassy Banjul’s Nominee for the 2008 Secretary of State’s Award for International Women of Courage.

The award, given annually, pays tribute to women of courage around the world and holds them up as examples of hope, strength, and compassion.

The role of women in society cannot be overstated and this award is recognition of that fact. The US Ambassador Barry Wells, speaking at a luncheon honouring Dr. Touray, described women as essential agents in bringing about change. He said that women are an often overlooked resource in the preservation of human security, in overcoming transnational dangers, and in managing threats arising from tyranny, trafficking, poverty and disease.

Thankfully this is changing and the role of women in society is widely recognised in The Gambia. This does not mean that we can rest on our laurels however as until every young girl is educated and her health protected we will not have completed our task.

We are being greatly helped our road to full equality and the recognition of women’s rights by Dr. Isatou Touray and all who work with her in GAMCOTRAP. GAMCOTRAP is grounded in grassroots activism, working with communities in trying to understand the issues inimical to their health and well being.

According to Dr. Touray, the honour gives them the courage and commitment to continue the work they are doing. “The sacrifice is worth it because of the difference it makes in the life of the poor, vulnerable and powerless people we serve”.

These are indeed laudable sentiments and highlight the depth of character of which Dr. Touray is possessed which led to her being honoured in this way by the United States. In typically selfless fashion Dr Isatou Touray used the occasion to dedicate the award to GAMCOTRAP, all its members and the community based facilitators who she added, have been engaged in the struggle for the promoting women’s and children’s rights.

“We are committed to the work we do because there are people who believe in the cause we stand for and who provide the support needed to continue engaging constructively with the communities we serve”, she said.

Dr. Touray is a role model to all women in The Gambia young and old. She and GAMCOTRAP are working at the coalface empowering women and improving the lives of those who might not otherwise be helped. Her courageous work is worthy of widespread emulation.

“The extension of women’s privileges is the basic principle of all social progress.”

Francois Charles Fourier.