NAYCONF Conference Sub-Committee chairperson describes women involvement as ‘excellent’
By Sulayman Waan
Ndegen Jobe, Chairperson of the Conference Sub-Committee of the National Youth Conference and Festival (NAYCONF) has described the performance and representation of women in ongoing youth gathering as topnotch.
Unlike previous NAYCONFs, this year’s event has introduced a special sub-committee on gender. This aims to ensuring gender inclusivity in the biannual event. It attracted an increased number of women delegates in the NAYCONF in various activities including sports, festival competitions, among others.
“We are not having more men as usual, we have a lot of women in the NAYCONF this time around because it was a criteria set during the planning in order to bring equal gender representation from every region in this year’s NAYCONF,” she said.
She added that the only activity that women did not partake in the NAYCONF is wrestling.
“We have very brave and eloquent young women participants and they have been participating and doing really well to make sure issues of gender mainstreaming are discussed,” Ndegen explained.
She said women should not wait for opportunities to be given to them but rather should grab the existing opportunities at their disposal.
Meanwhile, she said since independence, numerous laws and policies have been passed to advance gender equality and women’s rights in The Gambia. However, she added that the representation of women in positions of power and decision-making processes within public and private bodies at national, local and political party levels remains low.
SW/COB/22/12/22
