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Momodou
Denmark
11732 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Apr 2006 : 23:34:27
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WOMEN LEADERS DISCUSS WOMEN'S PROTOCOL
As they urge more women to join the National Assembly
Women Leaders across the country have urged women from various jurisdictions to be elected into the National Assembly to articulate and provide solutions to their own problems.
Women leaders were voicing out their views during a discussion at the Three Day National Conference organised by the National Women's Council and Bureau, in collaboration with the National Commission for UNESCO (NATCOM), National Aids Secretariat (NAS), and the Department of State for Education, held at the Paradise Suites in Kololi.
The conference was part of activities to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the National Women's Council and Bureau with over hundred women in attendance. It was said at the conference that only women know their own problems and can only be addressed and solved when they are elected as National Assembly Members.
Citing the women's protocol which is still lingering as an example, they said there are issues in it which is of great concern and needs to be ratified but because there are not too many women in parliament to support it, it is still gathering dust there with reservations on Female Genital Mutilation, Early Marriage, among others. They also harped on the need to have Gender Policy since there is a women's policy. The Gender Policy, they said will help to mainstream gender in order to have equal participation of boys and girls, noting that most girls do not complete their schooling due to the cost involved.
Another problem observed by women was the issue of inheritance which is described as a major problem women face, thus affecting their welfare.
It was said that when a woman's husband dies leaving behind his property to his wife and children, instead of the wife and children inheriting the property, the husband's family will rather deny them the property and even send the wife and children away.
This is a cause for concern to women which they want to condemn in society. In a case where they are given the inheritance, women are urged to be mindful of the type of man they want to remarry later, pointing out the fact that some men are gold diggers and will like to enjoy with the woman until they finish the money then when she is exhausted, they will abandon the woman to suffer with her children.
Women also observed the lack of parental care for children, and they urged the parents to always dialogue with their children, noting that most parents do not know the intention of their children or their future plans.
On the aspect of education, it was discussed that in the Lower Basic Schools children normally do well but the moment they reach the Upper Basic Level, they start dropping in grades. The Department of State for Education was urged to intervene in this aspect to investigate the cause of the problem. Mothers were also urged in partnership with fathers to take care of their children as the future leaders.
Women were also urged to engage themselves in productive ventures, however small it may be, for them to be able to stand for themselves. Also they should always be in a position to control what they do and not to leave it in the hands of their husbands.
It was said that if the woman leaves her business with the man, the man will at the end, handle everything, misuse it or marry a second wife.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 27/2006, 10-12 April, 2006
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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kassma
334 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 05:33:01
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Momodou, thanks for the article, its really informative. i think one of the major issues is the inheritance issue and the fact that women tend to leave businesses and capital with their husbands. it really leaves them in a sensitive position, a subordinate position.
i'm really surprised that no one has replied to this. africans need to wake up and realize that if most of our women live in poverty, our societies won't get ahead since most children stay with their moms and their opportunities usually reflect the opportunities their children will have. also, whatever money a man has usually is spent on himself and women to make himself "feel" good.
i don't know who said this but i've heard this quote or something similar to it: "you educate a man - you educate an individual, you educate a woman - you educate a nation". |
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LEMON TIME
Afghanistan
1295 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 05:49:13
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| women can be as good leaders as men,am i right |
There is no god but Allah |
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kassma
334 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 07:39:27
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| yeah you're right |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 07:44:17
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Kassma I have heard that quote many times, but dont know who it is from either. But it is SO right.
On the subject of inheritance, I have come across the situation where a dead mans brother marries his widow. It seems as if the wife is considered part of the dead mans estate! Or does he think he is doing the women a favour by looking after her.
Once again it illustrates the pragmatism of Gambian society. The brother gets the inheritance via the widow and the widow gets the 'protection' of a man?! Its a DEAL or arrangement.
How commmon place is this? |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 07:50:45
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In Uk the education of girls was considered less important than men until fairly recently.....women are ONLY going to raise families etc...... But that has gradually changed. Now women do equally well in education as men, if not better. Sponsorship for girls education is a big issue that perhaps charities should try to focus on. Families short of money wills still try to educate the oldest son, but the girls fall behind.
Ownership of money is power and control in relationships. Women need their own bank accounts, birth certificates, passports etc.... Women need equal inheritance rights with men and land ownership rights.
Also they need equal rights to divorce and divorce settlements and access to their children. WOW.....what a paragraph.......the wind of change is coming...are Gambian men ready for it???!!! |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 07:52:52
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Oh ......and I notice Gambian women dont seem to drive cars....... They need to get behind the wheel...what freedom that brings!! |
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bamba
Sweden
401 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 08:21:45
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In as much as I dont condone wife inheritance, the practice fits well in the socio-economic structures of rural communities. The widow and the kids have a new provider/protector immediately after the former. But I have to admit that the stakes can be very high in the perspective of inherited diseases etc, etc. With western eyes, the practice is inconceivable and understandably so.
Kassma, dont force western feminism,equality concept to a Gambia very unready and immature for it. |
Bamba |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 08:52:28
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| Marriage between first cousins can produce interited problems, especially if it is done often as it weakens the genetic line. |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 18:57:57
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I think to compare western culture with that of ours is going to confuse and bring ridicule. There are certain african cultural issue that can be best understood within an african perspective.
Inheritance of a widow has nothing to do with her husbands wealth. In traditional african societies, and to be more precise rural Gambia, inheritance never existed. What existed was a communal microfinaace in which the eldest in a family is charged with managing the funds. This includes cash, goats, sheep, cow, rice and all farm produce. There is a family land which every memebr works on for the common good. Anything raised from this farms are used for collective use.
However, individual memebers can also have their respective farms which they farm only in the afternoons and on Wednesdays when they have the whole day to themselves on their individual farms. Mornings are dedicated to the communal farm. No one owned anything and the head of the household who could sometimes be the eldest son who takes charge after the death of the Fatther, ensures that everyone is cared for within the means of the resources available.
When he dies, he is succeeded by the next eldest. The responsibility for the fish money lies with him not individual husbands in the compound. WE never had homes but compounds a name that is gradually disappearing in gambian social structure.
It was therefore in the same spirit that the eldest inherits or some other memebre of the family inherits the wife and the children to ensure that they have a safe and secure place in the event of death. Rememeber we no not have life insurances then and your insurance is your family. many of us grew up in these settings and we hardly intermingled with our own mothers but probably more with the other wives in the compound. Infact each child had a surrogate mother in the family who was charged with his welfare even though their mother is still alive and kicking.
We respected each other more and the families were bonded. Eventually with the advent of western legal code, inheritance then began to tear families apart. Unfortunately when this became more evident, those who were heading the house holds and as such controlled comunal funds, bequeathed the wealth to their sons and daughters because western law allowed it.
The law never went furhter to protect those who had put in their labour for the communal wealth and they all lost.
Families then began to tear apart and today, you can hardly see any semblance of this scenario in the Gambia. I am not accepting the fact that women should be inherited but i have seen many women who inherited their husbands wealth but has not given them any improvements. Inheriting a woman was more to do with protecting the family from abuse because the woman's family is hardly prepared to accept children from another family.
Now that we have become so westernised, it is suprising to note that even though we are 1000 times richer today than the time of the scenario above, we are worst off in the name of wesrten values. There are certain things that need to be left alone. Our social values must be judged within a context and not that of the west. The idea of family in the west is almost non existence. I have seen mothers taking their sons to court for amounts owed to them and also the reverse.
We should never be copy cats and we need to do what we believe is right and not how other people want us to behave. I can thrust my chest out that Gambia had always been respectful of women more than any country in Africa. There still parts of East Africa where women cannot own anything.
Gambiabev, wome are driving in the Gambia. We had a woman Auditor general, a woman Acountant General, Solicitor General, Magistrates, Edustaion Secreaty, Tourism Secretary, Vice President and many high ranking public positions. Gambia ratified the protocols on the protection of women long before 1994, we have a women's bureau then under the President's office. In the United States, there is yet to be a woman vice president even though they are called the land of the free.
We will get there.
In Europe, women only started to vote very recently and in America, it took center stage during the civil rights era.
In Africa we had women rulers well before the west ever did. We produced Queen Sheba the wife of King Solomon who controlled the vast lands beyond present day Ethiopia. You will be suprsed to know that we even had women alkalos in the gambia.
There are educated Gambian women who are competent to lead our nation. They need to come out and infact the ratio is 5 women to one man in the Kombos. So with good organising, they can win elections. I am behind them 100% and i think they make better leaders.
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“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 19:07:10
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Whether the eldest son 'inherits' in the western sense, is imaterial. In practice he controls what happens in his family because he controls the purse strings.
I agree there are MANY well educated, intelligent capable Gambian women. They need to push for elected office. Wouldnt it be fantastic to have a women president before USA!!!! |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 19:15:00
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Gambia Bev, in any relationship there has to be a leader. There has never been 50/50 any where. We are made to beleive it exist but in reality it does not. What exist is being able to overlook our differences and roles. Even our physical makeup is discriminatory and limits what a man and woman can do. It is an ideal and not a reality. Dont get me wong, i dont hate women but we need to be practical and not placate.
I sure will advocate for Gamian woman president but they need to come forward. That is more sustainable. Remember we had a women's council 25 years ago and they need to show us how far they have come.The doors have not been slammed on women in the gambia.
Those societies they seem to be practising 50/50 are today socially corrupt and nasty divorce, single parethood, absentee fathers have become the order of the day. Some people might argue what is wrong with a sinle parent. The answer is that it took a male and female to make babies and as such it is not acceptable that the product should be raised by only one of them. That is not 50/50. Even in a convent, there is a head nune, even in a same sex relationship, there is a HE AND SHE. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
Edited by - kondorong on 18 Apr 2006 19:32:37 |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 19:26:17
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Kondorong, even if I don't know five percent of what you know about your country, I agree with you. And, as I come from a family that is a little bit 'Gambian', and not from one of the average small European households, I like the generous and lively spirit of a Gambian compound (why do you say they are dying out?). Compared to this, Europeans really have a very 'narrow' social and familiar life.
Concerning women's leadership in Gambia, I can only say: The earlier, the better! I don't want to offend Gambian men, but I noticed that in many cases Gambian women have a more responsible attitude towards work, and they are more efficient. Some men in 'high' positions seem to indulge in self admiration and forget about their resposibilities. Sorry, but this is what I saw. |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 19:32:08
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
Gambia Bev, in any relationship there has to be a leader. There has never been 50/50 any where.
Uups, I didn't read this before I posted my agree, and in this point I think you are terribly wrong. My own marriage is the best example. None of us two is always leading, none is following; it depends on the situation. We both know that in certain points the other is better, and if decisions are to be made, the one who has the better understanding is 'leading'. |
Edited by - serenata on 18 Apr 2006 19:36:22 |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 19:38:48
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Serenata
You cannot have a relationship in which none is following and none is leading. There has to be someone to steer the ship and help chart the way. I come from the HR school and to me leadership is about getting things done through and with people. May be this definition will help clear the air.
I am not talking of a structured command relationship but hey we are each better at different things and it also includes providing direction and hope in the relationship.
Many advocates of 50/50 in Africa are actually calling for confrontations in which everyone pushes and no one gives in. That is 50/50 to many people and its advent in the gambia especially to the educated women has not been anything pleasing. Many of them are not married because they believe they are very educated and as such should not listen. I tell you many are dying to get into a relationship well into their 40s. I personally know many. It is how this is introduced that will determine its success. We must not rush to embrace quickly. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
Edited by - kondorong on 18 Apr 2006 19:44:02 |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 19:50:30
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Hm, ja. But don't forget I said 'always'! Why not give 'leadership' on special issues to the one who can manage it best? I don't want to become like my grandmother, who was the real 'leader' of the family, but always made my grandfather think he was the one in command. Very tricky, but this is against my pride.
You men.... your belief in leadership sometimes drives me crazy, and look how far the world got with this.... |
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