Skip to main content

Why The Gambia should fast-track gender quotas for women

Editorial / Opinion Piece / Blog Post

Back
January 28, 2022

Why The Gambia should fast-track gender quotas for women

Source: The Conversation

By Satang Nabaneh

Women have historically been poorly represented in positions of power and decision-making in The Gambia. Out of 58 National Assembly members, only six are women lawmakers and only three of these are elected. Women make up more than half of the Gambian population, yet they account for only 10% of parliamentarians, including the speaker.

This poor representation is just as evident in the political parties. None of the 18 registered political parties is led by a woman. A few have women serving as deputy party leaders. But for the most part, women are assigned token positions that lack the necessary power and authority. They are deployed as mobilisers, campaigners and cheerleaders.

Click here to read the full article.

Author
Satang Nabaneh
Publisher
The Conversation
Publication year
2022
Supporters of incumbent president Adama Barrow’s National Peoples Party (NPP) during a campaign rally in Banjul in November 2021. Photo by Guy Peterson/AFP via Getty Images

By Satang Nabaneh

Women have historically been poorly represented in positions of power and decision-making in The Gambia. Out of 58 National Assembly members, only six are women lawmakers and only three of these are elected. Women make up more than half of the Gambian population, yet they account for only 10% of parliamentarians, including the speaker.

This poor representation is just as evident in the political parties. None of the 18 registered political parties is led by a woman. A few have women serving as deputy party leaders. But for the most part, women are assigned token positions that lack the necessary power and authority. They are deployed as mobilisers, campaigners and cheerleaders.

Click here to read the full article.

Author
Satang Nabaneh
Publisher
The Conversation
Publication year
2022