Sukai Bojang, the Secretary General of The Gambia National Commission for UNESCO (NATCOM), has said that The Gambia is a country that must invest in its human resources, if it is to meet its Vision 2020 goal, that is:

 To transform The Gambia into a financial centre, a tourist paradise, a trading, export-oriented agricultural and manufacturing nation, driving on free market policies and a vibrant private sector, sustained by a well-educated, trained, skilled, healthy, self-reliant and enterprising population and guaranteeing a well-balanced eco-system and a decent standard of living for  everyone and all under a system of government based on the consent of the citizenry.”

She made these remarks on Monday, during the official opening ceremony of a regional workshop on educational and Islamic schools, held at the Baobab Holiday Resort in Bijilo.

Mrs Bojang described the workshop organised by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO), as yet another manifestation of the organisation’s commitment to building capacity of member states in the fields of education, science, culture and communication.

“For this year, ISESCO has accompanied the education sector of The Gambia in its drive to support the Arabic/Islamic schools.  So far, two training programmes have been conducted here and another one is planned for October 2008.

One of the boarding schools for girls, Aisha Oumoul Al Mumineen of Kanifing has been provided with assistance to acquire audio-visual teaching aids for the school,” she observed.

For his part, Baboucarr Boye, permanent secretary at the department of state for Basic and Secondary Education, said the government of The Gambia, under President Jammeh’s leadership, has demonstrated a lot of commitment in the field of education and in the development of the country.

He added that this commitment has also been demonstrated in the area of Arabic/Islamic education, by giving special attention to the Madrassas, as evidenced in the establishment of a Madrassa Unit under the Department of State for Basic and Secondary Education, and also the creation, through the proprietors of the Madrassas, of the General Secretariat for Islamic and Arabic Education.

PS Boye revealed that the Madrassa institutions contribute about 15% towards the Gross Enrolment Ratio at the primary level and provide a lot of opportunities for secondary education as well.

Dr  Youssef Abou Daka, the ISESCO Representative, said throughout their history, the Arabic Islamic schools have had a distinctive role in stabilising and widening the identity of  Muslim nations, as they contribute immensely in the improvement of human, economic and social indicators in these nations through reduction of illiteracy and providing youths with practical skills, scientific, and theoretic upgrading of their capacities, and also reinforce them with values for which they will organise work and earnings.

“It also contributed to the reinforcement of the modern educational institutions with the administrative, scientific, and administrative experts, scholars of jurisprudence and preachers through    centuries,” he revealed. The ISESCO rep also said that his organisation will continue in its efforts to collaborate with different stakeholders in order to support the Arabic/Islamic institutions in their positive practices, so as to realise their effectiveness in the quest for the protection of the original message of Islam through memorisation of the Holy Quran and spreading of Islamic values.

GAMCOTRAP, one of the NGOs leading the combat against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in The Gambia, has now embarked on a constructive dialogue regarding the issue of female circumcision and other harmful traditional practices that are inimical to the health and well being of women and girl-children.

Following the Muslim World Conference held in Rabat, Morocco there has been a consensus to address the issue of female genital mutilation strategically. For GAMCOTRAP, the issue of FGM has been on the centre stage among some Muslim scholars, and women and children’s rights activists in the Gambia. The bone of contention was on the religious dimensions where some Muslim Scholars of National standing have been ambivalent about the stance of Islam regarding FGM.

The Organisation of Islamic conference (OIC) and the Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO), both of which The Gambia is a member organised a meeting of Ministers, Politicians and religious leaders from 50 Muslim states in Rabat, Morocco for 2 days to reflect on the first Islamic Childhood Conference. The Gambia is well known for having some prominent scholars who learn on religious arguments to dismiss women’s rights issues. Even though The Gambia is a secular state, the personal status law of the Muslim women is governed by the Shariah because the majority of the population are Muslim.

Following the outcome of the Rabat meeting of OIC and ISESCO member states, today we are happy to inform the public that
GAMCOTRAP and other women’s rights organisations as well as the NGO Community including the contributions of the State
Department of Health and the International Community in the Gambia are vindicated.

The outcome of the Rabat meeting resulted to a ‘Rabat Declaration’ which places special emphasis on the issue of Female Genital Mutilation and other harmful traditional practices discriminating girls and justifying it with religious arguments to perpetuate those harmful practices. The outcome of the meeting is significant for activists and advocates on children and women rights. In the meeting reflections were made and several other related issues such as early child marriage and other related gender based violence are discussed.

The summary of the Rabat Declaration calls all Muslim states to:

• Take the necessary measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against girls and all harmful traditional or customary
practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation.

• To protect children from all forms of exploitation, abuse, torture and violence.

These were high on the agenda of the meeting and the declaration urged all Muslim countries where female genital mutilation
is practiced to act strongly against the NON-ISLAMIC TRADITION.

Similarly, governments were asked to enact and implement proper legislations and formulate where appropriate, national plans,
programmes and strategies protecting girls with reference to the practice of female genital mutilation.

The above declaration resonates with what Women’s Rights activists have been doing for the past twenty years, GAMCOTRAP in
particular has engaged in the advocacy work in the Gambia since 1984. The debate started within the Women’s Bureau as a
specialised committee which emanated from the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies (NFLS) in 1975 through to Dakar in 1984. The Women’s Movement has been calling attention to the effects of FGM on women’s and children sexual and reproductive health and rights.

The biggest stumbling block for the Gambia regarding the issue of FGM was the belief that it is a religious injunction and as a result many women were very steadfast in adhering to the practice. Those who are very stoical about this perspective are among highly recognised Muslim scholars.

The Supreme Islamic Council also has been sitting on the fence regarding the practice and this has created a situation where
women who are not convinced by the issues raised by activists engage in the practice. The reason for this is, men are associated with the knowledge of Islam and their voices carry more weight even if they are wrong or ignorant of the issues at
stake. We have also encountered subtle resistances from various quarters regarding the elimination of FGM. We are glad that
through constructive dialogue with the NAMS the reservations placed on the Maputo protocol has been removed.

At the same time the FGM advocates are not given access to some personalities in the UN system because they are advocating
women’s rights and gender based violence.

This has nothing to do with those personalities per se but the intermediaries between them and the women’s movement who see
themselves in such strategic positions to subterfuge the efforts being made to liberate women and children. A duty GAMCOTRAP
feels should be the responsibility of every citizen in responsible position of power is to facilitate a positive change for women.

For the latest information on the situation on FGM, The Commission on the Status of Women in its 52nd Session, 25 February to
March 7th have conclusions and resolutions regarding ending Female Genital Mutilation.

Please refer to the following article in the CSW address: E/CN.6/2008/L.3. Other relevant documentation on matters regarding
women and the rights of the child are also available.

The National Commission for UNESCO (Natcom) on Thursday began a two-day stakeholders workshop for the development of a Science and Technology Policy at the Corinthia Atlantic Hotel, Banjul.

The preparatory meeting was organised within the framework of 2007 - 2009 action of of Natcom, with backing of the Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO).

Delivering a statement at the opening of the meeting, Abdoulie Sallah, the secretary of state for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, said the forum prepares the ground for the application of science and technology for economic and industrial growth in The Gambia. SoS Sallah said this will also address the energy, environmental, agricultural and health challenges facing the country.

He observed that twin disciplines of science and technology have proven to be useful in improving human condition worldwide, including evolution of societies, food production, health service delivery, energy production, economic growth, communication, and construction.

The Science and Technology SoS said the outcome of the workshop will enable the country to develop a policy that will respond to the challenges confronting the nation.

He finally challenged the participants  to take the two-day meeting seriously and thanked the national commission for UNESCO and ISESCO for the bold move.

Sukia Bojang, the secretary general of Natcom, reaffirmed the commission’s preparedness in developing a Science and Technology Policy for national development.

Ms Bojang thanked the consultant, Dr Mohsin Ullah Khan for preparing the ground.

Other speakers at the opening ceremony included Mohsin Ullah Khan, ISESCO international consultant.

A two-day workshop on training and launching was recently held at the Girl Guides institute in Kanifing. Over thirty participants attended the session, which was addressed by a number of speakers.

In her welcoming remarks, the Programme Officer of Culture and Communications, on behalf of the Secretary General of the National Commission for ISESCO (Islamic Societies Engaged on Societies for Cultural Organisation), Ms Mamuna Sibideh addressed the aims and objectives of the workshop. Among these she named sharing and learning from each other on the mandate and concept of ISESCO.

She emphasised the aim of linking religious leaders, civil society and youth organizations in The Gambia in order to acquire perspectives on ISESCO.

The Programme Officer stressed the significance of the workshop in highlighting the work of ISESCO and also raises public awareness of that work. According to Ms Sibideh, the National commission serves as a platform for articulating the needs through consultations for the design and implementation of activities, coordination and implementation of ISESCO’s programmes and activities, the facilitation of fund-raising and networking to ensure visibility and impact of programme activities.

She further revealed that ISESCO’s activities and programmes are responding to the needs expressed by member states. She added that needs have been identified through consultations on the ground in member states.

She went on to say that the clubs are particularly encouraged to take responsibility for gaining knowledge about ISESCO’s mission, functions and strategic areas as well as the house the organisation operates. They serve as branches to reach the unreachable and assist in implementing our programmes and projects, she said.

For his part, Imam Baba Leigh of Kanifing Estate said that ISESCO provided scholarships for many Gambians and has links with many international organisations. Imam Baba Leigh added that it is important to recognise all cultures. According to him, we have different cultures but that a moral culture is best.

The National Centre for Arts Culture (NCAC) in collaboration with the Gambia National Commission for UNESCO, organised a three-day seminar in a bid to update the 1988 National Cultural Policy, held at the Baobab Holiday  Resort in Bijilo from  December 13-15th 2007, and sponsored by The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) through the Gambia National Commission for UNESCO.

The seminar, which was chaired by Marcel Thomasi, former director of press at State House, brought together stakeholders in the promotion, development and preservation of arts and culture in the Gambia, Africa and the world at large. The three-day  forum  aims, among other things, to identify, mobilise and consolidate intellectual and policy  linkages, integration of culture as a tool for development in the Gambia, etc.

Papers were presented on different topical issues such as the need to bring culture into the foundation of development in the Gambia, creative and performing arts, partnerships, cross-sectoral linkages, material cultural heritage, conservation, interpretation and development among others. At the end of the seminar, a draft recommendation was made, which is to be followed by a policy document on national cultural policy to be submitted to the Gambia Government for approval.

In her address, Angella Colley, secretary of state for Tourism and Culture,  said culture must be seen as an integral part of the Gambia’s development agenda.

“Our cultural norms and values, our traditions, customs and rites, our folktales, riddles and others, must be preserved, harnessed and developed for posterity. There is a need to continue indepth research into  various aspects of  our culture so that they can be documented for posterity. We must install the spirit of cultural pride in our children,” she said.

SoS Colley described the seminar as timely. She expressed gratitude to the ISESCO through NATCOM  for sponsoring the seminar and the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) for initiating the idea of updating national cultural policy.

Speaking earlier, Momodou Joof, director general (DG), NCAC, emphasised the need for integration of culture in the development efforts of the country. He noted that culture is something that tells us who we are, where we come from and where we want to go.

According tto him, from March 9 to April 3, 2007, a series of consultative meetings were held at regional and municipal level on updating of the national cultural policy.

Sukai Bojang, Secretary General, NATCOM spoke at length on the role played by ISESCO in terms of promotion, development and preservation of cultural norms and values. She also thanked NCAC for what she called a wonderful step, which comes at the right time.