EFSCRJ Celebrates Women and Grieves at the Perpetual Historical Injustice
Today, EFSCRJ grieves that since time immemorial women continue to be at the bottom, marginalized, abused and stereotyped even against themselves. Yet women constitute the majority of the people of the world, in each and every country on earth. Yet the woman is less represented in power and decision-making structures. The most impoverished sector of the population are women, who are also less educated, less wealthy, less protected socially, economically, politically and physically. While women tend to live longer than men, they often experience higher morbidity rates, meaning women suffer from more non-fatal health conditions, such as chronic illnesses and higher rates of disability and poorer quality of life in later years.
On a day like today we wonder how women could continue to remain at the bottom of society despite the numerous national, regional, and international instruments, institutions, programs and resources for women’s empowerment and gender equality. Since 1945, the world has created incredible tools and mechanisms for women and girls yet the results in gender equality and women’s empowerment remain abysmally low across societies and institutions. In the Gambia, not only has there been no woman president ever during its entire 60 years of Independence, but currently only three elected women are sitting in the National Assembly. We ask the question, why?
EFSCRJ is not proud of the gains Gambian women and the women of the world have registered. This is simply because in the first place, women should have been in the position that men have been for centuries simply because women constitute the majority in the world. Apart from their numbers, women are the source from which humanity emerges, survives and sustains. Therefore, on a day like today, we cry out at the world’s oldest, longest and most brutal systemic injustice which continues to perpetuate against girls and women.
Today, we do not merely say ‘Accelerate Action’. Rather we call out with displeasure the leaders, decision makers, practitioners, advocates, drivers, and implementers of instruments, institutions, and programs in our governments, businesses, civil society, political parties, communities and homes. The injustice, discrimination, violence and marginalization of girls and women have taken too long simply because of poor political will, poor commitment and ineffective action by those who are benefiting from this injustice. It must stop.
We do not join the fanfare of any celebration. We refuse to see the cup half-full. Rather, we grieve at the failures, broken promises, and the selective justice meted out to girls and women in every sphere of society. We demand the immediate dismantling of patriarchy which has imposed a culture of powerlessness and voiceless on women and girls.
We stand in solidarity with the girls and women of the Gambia, Africa and the world.
2025: The Year of Transparency and Accountability
Publish [21:50, 08/03/2025]