Back and Next - Back and NextFJC receives ECOWAS parliamentarians
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Mrs Fatoumatta Jahumpa-Ceesay, the Speaker of the National Assembly yesterday received the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarains from the 15 member states in the sub-region at the National Assembly Chambers in Banjul.
The delegation are currently in The Gambia attending the delocalisation ECOWAS committee meeting on gender, employment, labour and social welfare.
Speaking at the ceremony, Speaker Jahumpa-Ceesay briefed the delegation on the plans to construct a state of the art parliament by President Yahya Jammeh ad saluted him for the tremendous efforts towards transforming the National Assembly.
She also informed the delegates of the priority the Jammeh administration accords to the women folk saying "we have 53 National Assembly members in which 48 are elected directly by the people to serve for five years.
Within these amount ,five were nominated members including the Speaker and the deputy Speaker which is a constitutional requirement for the President of the Republic to do so. From those constitutional elected from the seven regions, we have five female members, two elected in which one went for direct election and the other one went unopposed. The other three were nominated. We also have six opposition members led by the majority leader" she told the delegates.
She added The Gambia is striving hard to develop its policies into programmes to empower women of this country noting that when conventions are signed at state levels, it is not just to ratify it, but implementation is vital.
Implementation according to her has a process and The Gambia is today trying to inculcate several conventions into its domestic laws. "The UN convention on the rights of the child has even gone beyond implementation because a bill on that has been passed and now an act. Equally, very soon, we will also have the women’s bill before deputies for ratification and actualising it into our different laws" she said.
According to her, first constitution of the Gambia in the 1970s, the women of this country were not considered but quickly noted that in the advent of the AFPRC and later APRC under President Yahya Jammeh’s leadership, the women were considered in the constitution as mention specifically in Section 27 (the right to marry), Section 28 (the rights of women), section 33 (protection from discrimination) among others.
She then dilated on the importance of the delocalisation meeting of the ECOWAS female parliamentarians on gender, employment, labour and social welfare as very important. She noted the difficulties they face during her time as the Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament to conduct delocalisation meetings, This meetings she added, are part of the integration process of ECOWAS.
"You are not here representing your National Assemblies but the 114 million people in the sub-region. This meeting being hosted for the second time in The Gambia is therefore vita and called on the committee on transport and communication to follow suit.
Speaker FJC informed the delegates of the success the Gambia registered in the telecommunication industry noting that communication is very important.
She then lauded the move in choosing The Gambia as the venue for the meeting but quickly noted that it is for the fact that the Gambia is committed and has signed international conventions such as the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and the international convention on population and development.
She then observed that as stated in the CEDAW convention, the Gambia has inculcate all in its constitution more especially the right of women and has gave the basic rights of women in this country.
She on behalf of the women of this country saluted the Gambian leader for recognising her and supporting them and assured them of her continues support. She reiterated that the Gambia will be proud to host the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarian Association (ECOFEPA) launching of the 114 million people of the sub-region.
For her part, Dr Fatamata Hassan, 4th Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS female parliamentarians on gender, employment, labour and social welfare from Sierra Leone expressed delight for the warmed welcome accorded them and reiterated the Gambia’s effective contribution to end the discrimination against women.
She described The Gambia as a role model in West Africa towards the crusade and called on African countries to follow the good steps. "The Gambia is always emancipating and saying no to poverty and discrimination against women. This is laudable as women are vital in society and we appreciate this country’s efforts. The Gambia is a pioneer to the emancipation of women rights" she stated.
Other speakers included Honourable Yahya Hydara, chairman of the ECOWAS female parliamentarians on gender, employment, labour and social welfare, Honourable Madlane Thia, Vice Chairperson of the ECOWAS female parliamentarians on gender, employment, labour and social welfare, Sanator Roland C Kaine from Liberia and the committee’s Rappateur as well as Honourable Sellu Bah, NAM for Basse, Honourable Fabakary Tombong Jatta, Majority leader and NAM for Serrekunda East, Momodou Sanneh, Minority leader.
Honourable Sulayman Joof, NAM for Serrekunda West chaired the ceremony.
The delegation are currently in The Gambia attending the delocalisation ECOWAS committee meeting on gender, employment, labour and social welfare.
Speaking at the ceremony, Speaker Jahumpa-Ceesay briefed the delegation on the plans to construct a state of the art parliament by President Yahya Jammeh ad saluted him for the tremendous efforts towards transforming the National Assembly.
She also informed the delegates of the priority the Jammeh administration accords to the women folk saying "we have 53 National Assembly members in which 48 are elected directly by the people to serve for five years.
Within these amount ,five were nominated members including the Speaker and the deputy Speaker which is a constitutional requirement for the President of the Republic to do so. From those constitutional elected from the seven regions, we have five female members, two elected in which one went for direct election and the other one went unopposed. The other three were nominated. We also have six opposition members led by the majority leader" she told the delegates.
She added The Gambia is striving hard to develop its policies into programmes to empower women of this country noting that when conventions are signed at state levels, it is not just to ratify it, but implementation is vital.
Implementation according to her has a process and The Gambia is today trying to inculcate several conventions into its domestic laws. "The UN convention on the rights of the child has even gone beyond implementation because a bill on that has been passed and now an act. Equally, very soon, we will also have the women’s bill before deputies for ratification and actualising it into our different laws" she said.
According to her, first constitution of the Gambia in the 1970s, the women of this country were not considered but quickly noted that in the advent of the AFPRC and later APRC under President Yahya Jammeh’s leadership, the women were considered in the constitution as mention specifically in Section 27 (the right to marry), Section 28 (the rights of women), section 33 (protection from discrimination) among others.
She then dilated on the importance of the delocalisation meeting of the ECOWAS female parliamentarians on gender, employment, labour and social welfare as very important. She noted the difficulties they face during her time as the Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament to conduct delocalisation meetings, This meetings she added, are part of the integration process of ECOWAS.
"You are not here representing your National Assemblies but the 114 million people in the sub-region. This meeting being hosted for the second time in The Gambia is therefore vita and called on the committee on transport and communication to follow suit.
Speaker FJC informed the delegates of the success the Gambia registered in the telecommunication industry noting that communication is very important.
She then lauded the move in choosing The Gambia as the venue for the meeting but quickly noted that it is for the fact that the Gambia is committed and has signed international conventions such as the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and the international convention on population and development.
She then observed that as stated in the CEDAW convention, the Gambia has inculcate all in its constitution more especially the right of women and has gave the basic rights of women in this country.
She on behalf of the women of this country saluted the Gambian leader for recognising her and supporting them and assured them of her continues support. She reiterated that the Gambia will be proud to host the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarian Association (ECOFEPA) launching of the 114 million people of the sub-region.
For her part, Dr Fatamata Hassan, 4th Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS female parliamentarians on gender, employment, labour and social welfare from Sierra Leone expressed delight for the warmed welcome accorded them and reiterated the Gambia’s effective contribution to end the discrimination against women.
She described The Gambia as a role model in West Africa towards the crusade and called on African countries to follow the good steps. "The Gambia is always emancipating and saying no to poverty and discrimination against women. This is laudable as women are vital in society and we appreciate this country’s efforts. The Gambia is a pioneer to the emancipation of women rights" she stated.
Other speakers included Honourable Yahya Hydara, chairman of the ECOWAS female parliamentarians on gender, employment, labour and social welfare, Honourable Madlane Thia, Vice Chairperson of the ECOWAS female parliamentarians on gender, employment, labour and social welfare, Sanator Roland C Kaine from Liberia and the committee’s Rappateur as well as Honourable Sellu Bah, NAM for Basse, Honourable Fabakary Tombong Jatta, Majority leader and NAM for Serrekunda East, Momodou Sanneh, Minority leader.
Honourable Sulayman Joof, NAM for Serrekunda West chaired the ceremony.
Author: by Sheriff Barry
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