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Momodou
Denmark
11785 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Aug 2010 : 18:08:28
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Dailynews Editorial: Baby Dumping Again!
About two weeks ago we carried a story of a girl who after delivering her baby girl in Latrikunda Sabiji dumped the little baby girl in a pit latrine. By the time the Fire and Ambulance Service were called to rescue the innocent baby girl’s soul has already departed from her body.
In a separated case a middle-age women dumped her newly born baby in Mariama Kunda thank God the baby was later found alive after spending three days under the rain and sun and some parts of his body were bug- ridden by worms.
This is very sad indeed. How could one carry a child in your womb for nine good months and deliver just to throw the baby away.
This ugly practice is not only ungodly but inhumane. Imagine the risks involvement in pregnancy up to the point of delivering a child - all complicated.
Why on earth are people doing this? If you cannot take care of your baby, give it to someone else or better still take the baby to the social welfare department in Banjul, perhaps they will know what to do with the baby instead of throwing it like a refuse.
Babies are God’s creatures and they should be shown love and care with tender heart. Infact, the baby you have thrown could be someone very important in society in the future.
We are living in the 21st century where people are supposed to be civilized and do away with things that characterize backwardness in a decent society.
For a long time now we at The Daily News report on such incidents thinking it is a forgone conclusion.
But this ugly menace is still around in our society destroying our good moral values. Young girls need to be sensitized thoroughly on the dangers of early or unwanted pregnancies. If this is done it will minimized baby dumping in the country. Those organizing summer camps for young children should try as much as possible and take these young boys and girls on topics like baby dumping and its root causes.
It is heartless and cruel for human beings to treat a fellow human begins in this manner.
Let’s strike our blows together to knock out baby dumping.
Together we can stop it.
Source: Dailynews
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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fee_sweetie
United Kingdom
127 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2010 : 21:16:40
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| I can't imagine how low the mother must have been feeling to do this. It's sad and I hope she gets the help she needs and not just thrown in a cell and left to fend her own demons. Unfortunately pregnancy is not always as easy for some as it is portrayed in films. Resources of counseling/support/help groups/advice need to be available and advertised to pregnant women who are struggling and help them understand there are many options for them. |
"Religion is an insult to human dignity. Without it you'd have good people doing good things + evil people doing evil things but for good people to do evil things it takes religion"- Richard Dawkins |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2010 : 22:40:23
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Where is the MAN in these situations? I presume these are women abandoned by the father of the child.
If there is no way of supporting the child you can understand the desperation.
If there is shame about being a single mother you can understand the desperation.
I'm interested to know the sex of the children in these stories.
In India and China it is common for girls to be abandoned because people want boy babies.
I wonder how often this happens and the babies body is never found.
It is very sad for the babies, but also the mothers. They must be very desperate and disturbed to do this.
'Every child a wanted child' Wouldnt it be wonderful if we could aim to achieve that? |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2010 : 22:42:28
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Can I ask about the difficult topic of abortion?
Is this allowed in Gambia hospitals? Is it legal?
Do women in villages practice abortion?
What is the position of the Islamic faith on this? are there different views within the religion or one set position?
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2010 : 22:45:46
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Can I ask about contraception?
Are Muslim women allowed to 'plan' their families? What methods are available?
One girl I know relied on breast feeding and abstinance for her planning.
In the coastal areas I know condoms are available, but are they costly or free?
Inland are they available?
What about other methods? And what is Islams view?
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tamsier
United Kingdom
557 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2010 : 02:24:24
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quote:
Originally posted by gambiabev
Where is the MAN in these situations? I presume these are women abandoned by the father of the child.
If there is no way of supporting the child you can understand the desperation.
If there is shame about being a single mother you can understand the desperation.
I'm interested to know the sex of the children in these stories.
In India and China it is common for girls to be abandoned because people want boy babies.
I wonder how often this happens and the babies body is never found.
It is very sad for the babies, but also the mothers. They must be very desperate and disturbed to do this.
'Every child a wanted child' Wouldnt it be wonderful if we could aim to achieve that?
You have jumped the gun assuming the father knows about the pregnancy and decided to do a runner. In most cases, these are young girls who have engaged in sexual activity with young boys and sadly got pregnant. In some cases, the young men involved do not know but sometimes they do. Even in most cases where the boy tries to take a split, his family will pressure him to marry the girl and or own up to his responsibilities. I think more sex education is required in order to curtail this problem. There are two main reasons why girls do this:
1. Physiological reasons
2. Shame of their families. It has little do with the boy's support, because even if the boy is not around which does happened but very minute [compared to the West] and frowned upon by Gambian society, the girl’s family will support the child. Shame is a big factor which should not be underestimated.
As for the middle aged woman mentioned in the story, such cases are very rear.
This has nothing to do with India or China. Both baby boys and girls have been dumped.
Children are children regardless of whether they are boys or girls. A vigorous sex education and support during pregnancy will help to solve this problem.
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Tamsier
Serere heritage. Serere religion. Serere to the end.
Roog a fa ha. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2010 : 10:29:32
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I agree sex education is needed, but also good and easily available contraception is needed.
In my expericence in Gambia, boy babies are more valued than girls, and that is why I asked the question about the sex of the children being abandoned. I am very glad to hear that this has nothing to do with the problem.
Shame in a community is understanderable. It was the same in the UK until fairly recently (say last 20 years). I'm not sure that being forced to marry is the solution. As that could lead to an unhappy life for both parties. Equally making having babies a casual thing that is easy and acceptable without a secure family isnt ideal either.
We are back to EDUCATION, for both boys and girls.
In an ideal world wouldn't it be wonderful if every child was much wanted and loved? Born into a loving family....
I can't help being an idealist! |
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MeMe
United Kingdom
541 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2010 : 11:30:51
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quote:
Originally posted by gambiabev
I agree sex education is needed, but also good and easily available contraception is needed.
In my expericence in Gambia, boy babies are more valued than girls, and that is why I asked the question about the sex of the children being abandoned. I am very glad to hear that this has nothing to do with the problem.
Shame in a community is understanderable. It was the same in the UK until fairly recently (say last 20 years). I'm not sure that being forced to marry is the solution. As that could lead to an unhappy life for both parties. Equally making having babies a casual thing that is easy and acceptable without a secure family isnt ideal either.
We are back to EDUCATION, for both boys and girls.
In an ideal world wouldn't it be wonderful if every child was much wanted and loved? Born into a loving family....
I can't help being an idealist!
Interesting that you're not asking about mental healthcare in the Gambia, Bev! Even if a child was much wanted and loved there could be underlying mental health issues which can make even the most loving person act in a completely unusual manner ....
Sex education for boys and girls is definitely a plus but so is mental health awareness (also by healthcare professionals!)and, as previously suggested, better care during pregnancy. I'm including the UK in this as well, by the way! As far as I've experienced, generally physical care is supplied in bucket loads but that's where it ends ....
Let me therefore rather ask about the continued stigma of poor mental health rather than that old chestnut - contraception!! |
It is better to die standing than to live on your knees - Ernesto Guevara de la Serna |
Edited by - MeMe on 19 Aug 2010 11:38:58 |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2010 : 13:05:01
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Just because the women are desperate they arent necessarily mentally ill.
Of course they could be. There are many levels of post natal depression that may cause a women to feel she can't cope with her baby. This is more common when women are isolated. Having been in Gambian villages and seen how the village raises the child, I would of thought this was less of a problem than in the UK, but perhaps it is just less diagnosed?
Mental health care is very important, but perhaps is a luxury in places where physical needs obviously are struggling to be met? I ask that as a question.
In UK Mental health care has been raised up the agenda as other needs have been met. It is still not properly addressed. |
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fee_sweetie
United Kingdom
127 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2010 : 14:17:58
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quote:
Originally posted by gambiabev
[br This is more common when women are isolated.
I highly disagree with this!!!!!!! Depression postnatal or not can happen to ANYONE even if they are surrounded by a huge family!!! Jeez you never cease to amaze me ...  |
"Religion is an insult to human dignity. Without it you'd have good people doing good things + evil people doing evil things but for good people to do evil things it takes religion"- Richard Dawkins |
Edited by - fee_sweetie on 19 Aug 2010 14:33:19 |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 20 Aug 2010 : 01:08:15
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Gambian Society like all societies are more complex than the senario's raised. There are lots of different reasons why Babies are dumped. Whatever the reason for a Mother choosing to abandon her baby, it needs to be done in a safe and humane way. Therefore Gambian Public Information needs to be accelerated through open discussion over the media, community theatre, songs, in schools, healthcare centres,Hospitals, Bantabas, Mosques, Churches, NGO's etc. Safe places such as Hospital,Clinics, Orphanages need to put into places where Mothers can leave their babies and/or have helplines set up etc.
There are different senarios why women feel forced to dump their children and this is not unique to Gambia as we've all probably heard of newborn bables being left abandoned in our Town and cities. These women are often in denial and afraid of being pregnant and want to discard of the baby as soon as its born.
Obviously these women are in need of some Psychological support to enable empower and engage them to make choices, and Social infrastructure needs to be improved to facilitate this.
I agree that isolation is a factor whether or not the woman is within a large family or literally on her own she is probably afaird of being ostracised from her family or the community. Whether that is irrational or not that is her reality. It is a matter of counteracting theae fears by forming women support groups.
In many communities their are inferitle women who would love to adopt children so a system of adoption should be built upon. This could be done in a holistic way either by supporting women through networks of elder women befriending and morally supporting women by training them in a trade. So that they can support their children if they decide to keep them, or offering them temporary accommodation if they have to leave their family homes. Or placing the children with Social Services. Educating both men and women about family planning. Bringing adults in positions of power to accountability through zero tolerance of sexual of abuse of miniors etc. There have been cases where school teachers have been routinely sexually abusing their pupils and in return giving them hisgher grades and parents often turn a blind eye.
Communication is key. Therefore a possible solution could be private public and voluntary Sector collaborations in the country could sponsor a Baby dumping helpline to stop these futile infant deaths and assist in making them history.
What say you?
Peace
Sister Omega
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Peace
Sister Omega |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 23 Aug 2010 : 14:32:06
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Yeah we all hear about early marriage is bad blah blah. Well, welcome to the Gambia. Very little percentage of girls have higher education (higher than primary school) and have job. Since there is absolutely no social services for a single mother, raped women, welfare, free health care and education, if a girl is getting pregnant without marriage at early age or older (I am excluding rape), it is much better to be under the marriage institution. So early marriage is not that bad considering the situation in Gambia. I am not offering early marriage as a solution, but that is part of the society that fits the realities of Gambia. Gambia is a traditional society where family/relatives are providing kind of economic/educational services under 'large family' institution. Am I wrong?
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diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
Edited by - turk on 23 Aug 2010 14:35:12 |
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toubab1020
12314 Posts |
Posted - 23 Aug 2010 : 15:33:07
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| Turk,this is a good day for you, contraversial yes, but from my perception as a male and a regular visitor to The Gambia, true ,no critism implied, I like the place and the people, the Gambia is still a very traditional Muslim society, modern ways of thinking have yet to be understood by the AVERAGE Gambian.This is not wrong as "one size does not fit all" |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 23 Aug 2010 : 16:02:10
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| It is not always about 'understanding' mostly time it is about 'capacity'. Besides, to be honest, traditional way of thinking sometime is much better than modern ways. My mother is 65 years old widow, I ain't letting her go to 'aged care'. In that sense, Gambian traditional way of caring is superior to the modern way of taking care of seniors. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
Edited by - turk on 23 Aug 2010 16:03:36 |
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toubab1020
12314 Posts |
Posted - 23 Aug 2010 : 16:36:04
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Agreed ,BUT there are exceptions to care for the elderly by a family member or relative, if for instance they suffer from severe dementia,and become violent and unable control their bodily functions or are otherwise very ill where specialist nursing is a must,in those cases it is obvious that the good welfare of the person cannot be maintained by a relative.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 23 Aug 2010 : 17:07:47
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| Yes, there are always exceptions. Unfortunately, many uses some of these difficulties as convenient excuse when they do not want to deal with their elders. That is a social disease in modern world. I hear stories of lack of attention to elders by their children in caring institutions. Some of them even gets visit once a year or a month. I don't want to shift from the topic. In summary, my point is that family is mostly the best social service and traditional solutions may work much better than modern solutions for social problems. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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