The vice-president and secretary of state for Women's Affairs, yesterday, officially opened the two-day meeting of Ecowas Ministers of Women Affairs on behalf of President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh.

Below is the speech delivered by the vice-president at the Jerma Beach Hotel in Kololi, where the ministers assembled to examine, validate and adopt the 2009-2008 Strategic Plan of Ecowas Gender Development Centre, among other pertinent issues.

I am deeply honoured and gratified to be here with you this morning to deliver the keynote address on the occasion of this important meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Women's Affairs, which is being organised by the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre in collaboration with UNIFEM.

By the same token, The Gambia is deeply honoured to host this important meeting. On behalf of the Government and people of The Gambia and on my own behalf, I would like to welcome the distinguished delegates from the Sub-region, to The Gambia, the smiling coast of Africa. I wish you a pleasant stay and hope you will find time to enjoy The Gambian hospitality.

Madam Chairperson,

Distinguished Delegates,

Today's event is historic because it is the very first time that The Gambia is hosting an ECOWAS meeting of Women's Affairs, therefore kindly allow me to place on record our sincere appreciation to the ECOWAS Commission and the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre in particular for choosing The Gambia to host such a high profile meeting, which I have been informed will examine, validate and adopt the 2009 - 2013 Strategic Plan of the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre, among other things.

It is gratifying to note that the Strategic Plan which is a critical framework is built around four priority areas of intervention namely:- Institutional and Organisational Capacity Building; Gender and equitable access to social services; economic empowerment; and Human Rights, Conflict prevention and resolution, Good Governance, Peace and Stability.

Madam Chairperson,

The fact that The Gambia has been selected as the venue for this important meeting of the ECOWAS Ministers of Women's Affairs is no coincidence. I therefore wish to register on my own behalf and on behalf of all Gambians, our heartfelt appreciation for this great honour. Our pride in hosting such an important meeting is amply demonstrated by my Government's unreserved invitation to all of you to the International Women's Day Celebration as well as our presence en-masse in the official opening and welcome ceremonies.

In recognition of the important role played by women in our development efforts, my Government has since 1994 made the advancement of women and girls education a priority.

As I said yesterday during the opening ceremony of the International Women's Day celebration, The Gambia signed and ratified major International Women's Rights instruments such as the CEDAW and the Protocol to the Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.

The Gambia is also implementing the Policy on the Advancement of Gambian Women 1999 - 2009.

To ensure the effective implementation of CEDAW and the Protocol to the Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa a Women's Bill is drafted and legislation proposed on Gender based Violence.

Furthermore, the 1997 Constitution of The Gambia has adequately addressed the rights of women to a large extent.

Madam Chairperson,

Distinguished Guests

The Gambia's commitment to addressing gender issues and the uplifting of the status of women is further exemplified by the increase in the enrolment and retention of the girl-child in school, increased access to credit and employment by women, increased number of women in key decision-making positions and the formulation and implementation of poverty alleviation programmes.

Mainstreaming gender in the Development process is a pre-requisite for uplifting the status of women within the ECOWAS sub-region. In this connection, I wish to commend the ECOWAS Commission in general and the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre in particular for the laudable initiatives aimed at mainstreaming gender into the integration process.

Key among these are the elaboration of ECOWAS Gender Policy and the ECOWAS Gender Centre's gender mainstreaming training manual to name but a few.

The need to involve men for a more equitable ECOWAS sub-region cannot be overemphasised for the simple reason that empowerment of women calls for shared decisions taken by both men and women, as well as shared influence over policies and programmes at all level of Government in the sub-region.

Before concluding, I would like to seize this opportunity to call on my colleagues, the Heads of State of ECOWAS member countries to continue to support gender issues within the framework of ECOWAS integration process. I therefore keenly look forward to the conclusions of this meeting which would set the gender for the various national and sub-regional programmes.

Finally, Madam Chairperson,

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and gentlemen

I have the singular honour and pleasure to declare the meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Women Affairs officially open.

I wish you success in your deliberations and thank you for your kind attention.