Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy, vice president and secretary state for Women's Affairs, has said that the government of The Gambia is implementing a zero tolerance policy for violence against women and girls.

According to her, the government has put in place stiff penalties for rape and other forms of violence. Ending violence against women and girls, she said, requires concerted efforts to change the mindset of people through positive information, education and communication with the majority of the population.

VP Njie-Saidy made these remarks on Saturday, while delivering her keynote address before thousands of people, many of them women and girls, at the July 22nd Square in Banjul, on the occasion of the International Women's Day celebrations. Saturday's programme was graced by Madam Zainab Yahya Jammeh, the First Lady of the Republic of The Gambia; speaker of the National Assembly, Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay; Chief Justice Abdou Karim Savage; secretaries of state, service chiefs, members of the diplomatic and consular community, among other dignitaries.

Dilating on the policy implementation, VP Njie-Saidy observed that a great deal needs to be done in the areas of public education and institutional strengthening, for stakeholders involved in violence prevention and its management.  According to her, building women's confidence and enabling them better understand their rights are very critical. Dwelling on the various sectors of women's involvement, Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy noted that the government has witnessed a marked increase in the participation of women in running major businesses in both the import and export sectors. She said at the national level, during the celebrations they will focus on economic empowerment, because they believe that once a women is economically empowered, issues of violence, illiteracy and poverty become less of problem, especially if backed by sound policies and legislations.

According to her, as part of this year's celebration in the context of economic empowerment, efforts to support women market their produce remains the centre stage. This, she added, is one of the reasons that a women's 'Lumo' (weekly market) has been organized with the objective to help them sell their products such as vegetables, poultry products, fashion and handicraft-related products.

VP Njie-Saidy reminded the gathering of government's commitment to supporting women in their efforts to build the proposed women's multi-purpose market complex for which they have already accumulated funds. She informed the gathering about various intervention areas of the Women's Bureau and the National Women's Council, under the Department of State for Women's Affairs. She said they were able to distribute over 40 labour saving devices to women, supported the rehabilitation of 31 gardens countrywide and facilitated a series of training for women.

She reaffirmed the government's intention to pursue policies, programmes and projects to further enhance national efforts towards women's empowerment and the attainment of gender equality, particularly in ending violence against women and girls. According to her, plans are underway to respond to the global campaign to end violence against women and girls and also to organise national workshops to consolidate efforts and develop a national program on ending violence against women. This, she noted, will be implemented by all stakeholders.

Within this programme, she added, key actions will include situational analysis on violence against women and girls to be followed by the drafting of a Bill on violence against women.  VP Njie- Saidy, in concluding her statement, urged the youths and girls to work hard and concentrate on their education and profession. International Women's Day is a day set aside to celebrate women's contributions to national and global development and to further identify challenges faced by them so as to map out forward-looking strategies which also provide unique opportunity for women to network amongst themselves, and to share experiences and practices.

During her speech, the vice president had saluted Gambian women and renewed her continued commitment and sacrifice to national development, particularly in the areas of women's economic empowerment and the attainment of gender equity and equality. For her part, Aji Fatou Mbaye, chairperson of the National Women's Council, thank the delegates from the other African countries who came to grace the occasion. She described the celebration as a very unique event, noting that the three - day AU gender expert meeting had equipped them very well and that it will serve them a lot.

She used the occasion to thank the vice president for her invaluable support to women's activities and in making sure that they realise the theme for this year's celebration. According to her, the collaborative work of both men and women will be a success.  She also thanked the Gambian leader, Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, for championing the cause of women's advancement in the entire continent of Africa. She also extended thanks to regional governors and mayors for their contribution in making the celebrations successful.