The Pro-poor Advocacy Group (Pro-PAG), with the support from UNICEF and in collaboration with Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), on Thursday convened an interactive meeting between the duty bearers and rights holders at the KMC Conference Hall.

In his opening remarks, John Charles Njie, acting director of Pro-PAG, expressed hope that at the end of the meeting, both parties will work towards the improvement of social services and facilities in the municipality. He added that the meeting aimed at  giving a unique opportunity to foster a constructive dialogue between the service providers on one hand and the end users of the services, as well as to collectively chart a way forward to win the war against poverty. He went on to outline some of the objectives of the meeting, which he said, are to explore ways of working for positive change in the KMC, as well as to encourage pubic debate, participation and advocacy.

Njie further explained that the meeting would be able to influence the budgetary allocation for the basic needs such as health, water sanitation, education, housing, among others. He said the UNICEF funded programme will help them address basic needs for women in particular. Finally, Njie said, in a bid to bring these two parties together with the aim of fostering mutual understanding and stronger relationship, there is need for KMC to organise and facilitate such forums that will   enhance service delivery by making duty bearers more accountable and efficient and making the rights holders more responsible.

Yankuba Colley, the lord mayor of KMC delivered the welcoming remarks and referred duty bearers as including: KMC, Regional Education Office (One) Regional Director of Health, Department of Fisheries, Gambia Fire and Rescue Services, Department of Community Development, Department of Physical Planning and Housing and the chairman of the Regional Disaster Management Committee while the rights holders onther hand include; the, alkalolu, councillors, students, vendors, fishermen, nursing mothers, societies and others.