Anti-FGM Crusaders to Penetrate Deep into NRR

Dr Touray

Residents of North Bank Region will have their share of the intensifying sensitisation campaign that seeks to eliminate the deep-rooted cultural practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in The Gambia.

Gamcotrap, a women’s rights advocacy is targeting one hundred and eighteen communities in Upper Badibou and Sabach Sanjal Districts. The three year project is funded by the UNFPA/Gambia Government Country Programme 2012 – 2016 entitled: “Accelerating the Abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the Gambia”.   

In a press released Gamcotrap said they have visited the region before and the governor of the Region, Mr. Lamin Quin Jammeh was briefed by the executive director of GAMCOTRAP. ‘Dr. Isatou Touray informed him of the project objectives which aim at raising awareness and empowering communities to end FGM and protect their girls and women. The governor welcomed the GAMCOTRAP team to his region and stated his support to end FGM”

According to the released, governor Jammeh said the eradication of FGM is part of the development process and should be a concern to everyone, urging GAMCOTRAP not to relent in the progress being made. “FGM, early marriage and women’s rights are three important issues that people should be concern about. “We are together in spirit and we are with you in your efforts to protect the girl children from FGM.” He said.

Gamcotrap stated: “One hundred and fifty (150) Community and Women leaders have been the target of the launching the GAMCOTRAP grassroots FGM activities in Upper Badibou and Sabach Sanjal.”

According to Dr Touray it was a privilege to launch the project in three different venues: Illiassa and Farafenni in the Upper Badibou district and Ngayen Sanjal in the Sabach Sanjal district. 

Dr. Touray Tour of US Colleges and Universities

 

Dr. Touray

It is with appreciation that Gambian academics, an expert in gender and leading activist in the fight to end FGM and other forms of violence against women, Dr. Isatou Touray has been invited on a tour in the United States giving lectures to hundreds of students at Juniata College and Washington and Jefferson College. The invitation which was made by Professor Buba Misawa and Professor Emil Nagengast was honoured by Dr Touray.  The tour gave her the opportunity to share the work of her organization in the campaign to end FGM.  The partnership has been going and it gives students from the United States and other parts of the world to visit GAMCOTRAP and learn more about cultural practices in the context of sexuality and reproductive health and rights.

Meanwhile Dr. Touray participated at the V-Day Coordinators strategic planning meeting in Italy in preparation for the 2015 global One Billion Rising against Gender Based Violence. The outcome of the meeting is focussing on a ‘Revolution’ all over the world.

IAC Re-born in Style

The Inter Africa Committee on Traditional practice – IAC held its 8^th General Assembly in Burkina Faso in April 2014. 

Students from USA and UK visit GAMCOTRAP

Dr Toury

The work of GAMCOTRAP continues to generate attention both within and outside the Gambia. Students alongside their professors from Juniata College and Texas A&M University in the US visited GAMCOTRAP on the 23^rd and 26^th respectively. The aim of the visits is to know the work of the organization, its challenges and the successes made over the years.  Executive Director of GAMCOTRAP

Dr. Isatou Touray, welcomed the visiting students and their professors and said that the doors of her organization is open to everyone irrespective race or nationality. This invitation resulted to GAMCOTRAP hosting of several interns around the world. She emphasized the need for more collaborative efforts both locally and internationally in the fight against FGM and other harmful traditional practices. The students were briefed on the work of GAMCOTRAP and strategies being used that resulted to tremendous achievement of 4 public declarations during which 128 ex-circumcisers supported by 900 communities have dropped the knife to end FGM.

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The discussions are characterized by a presentation on the effects of FGM followed by questions and answers in a very interactive way. The visitors were overwhelmed with the ongoing advocacy at the grassroots and declared that they too have a role to play because women’s rights are human rights. 

GAMCOTRAP CPA Condemn the Abduction of Nigerian Girls

L-R: National Coordinator, Child Protection Alliance, Njundu Drammeh, Ambassador Esther John 

Audu and Executive Director Of GAMCOTRAP Dr. Isatou Touray

Nearly a month since more than 200 hundred girls were abducted in Nigeria, GAMCOTRAP and Child protection alliance (CPA), have condemn the act of Boko Haram, a Islamist militias based in the country.

GAMCOTRAP, a women’s right NGO working in the area of girls/women and CPA said in a joint statement “we condemn this atrocity.”

Boko haram attacked and captured 200 plus Nigerian girls in April, action that have been condemn from all corners of the world.

 “We express our deepest sympathy to the families of these girls and the entire Nigerian nation for this unholy, unacceptable and disgraceful act,” the release stated. “We call on the whole world to Rise Up against these atrocities.”

Despite condemnation, the leader of Boko Haram said he I will sell the girls.

“This is a serious bridge of the principles to which Islam is founded upon. Islam respects the dignity of the person, especially women, and is clearly stipulated in the holy Koran in various verses underscoring the respect and dignity of the woman.”

Gambians Rise for Justice

Amie Bojan-Sissoho leading the procession 

 One Billion Rising For Justice, an event being held around world turned out a moment filled with emotions and joy under the unnoticed hot and typical African burning sun in The Gambia, demanding justice in the fight against Female Genital Mutilation and domestic violence.

Done in a style, The Gambia commemorated the event with  a procession and symposium at TANGO offices where hundreds of people women, men, youth groups, institutions and school children rose up to dance, singing very emotional songs.

One Billion Rising for Justice is a global call to women survivors of violence and those who love them to gather safely outside places where they are entitled to justice. Places like courthouses, police stations, government offices, school administration buildings, work places, sites of environmental injustice, military courts, embassies, places of worship, homes, or simply public gathering places.

In The Gambia, GAMCOTRAP, a woman’s right NGO, who have over the years been very active and effective in the promotion of women and children’s rights lead the activity. The organisation is well known for its stance against harmful cultural practices particularly those that relates to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and other discriminatory early practices. They joined the global energy to strike, dance and rise against Violence against women calling for an end to FGM, marriage and other gender discriminatory practices affecting women and men.

Teachers Resolved to Join in the Fight against FGM

Dr. Isatou Touray

After concluding a day training on Monday, teachers has resolved to join, GAMCOTRAP, a women’s rights advocacy group to educated children on the effects of FGM.

The event brought together 25 from various schools in the West Coast Region. The project, from a health-based to a right-based approach fighting against Female Genital Mutilation seeks to introduced module on FGM and child’s rights for grade 4-9 basic and secondary education sector hopefully next year . It is funded by Save the Children International.

The modules on FGM are meant to contribute to efforts by the education sector to promote gender equality and development as part of overall policy to promote girls’ education.

Gamcotrap, have over the years been very active and effective in the promotion of women and children’s rights. Gamcotrap's agenda is to end discriminatory practices like FGM and early marriage and ha trained hundreds of teachers over the years.

 Prior to the training, majority of the teachers admitted that they are not aware that the Gambia is a signatory to the Maputo protocol, convention of the right of the child and the CEDAW.

Gamcotrap has signed a MOU with Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, (MoBSE) in 2007 and renewed it in 2009.