By Lamin Kujabi
His Excellency President Adama Barrow recently received in audience the Secretary General of United Cities and Local Governments, Emilia Saiz Carrancedo, and her delegation led by the Lord Mayor of Banjul, Rohey Malick Lowe at State House in Banjul
The Mayor of Banjul, Rohey Malick Lowe, expressed gratitude to His Excellency President Adama Barrow for hosting them without looking at their different political affiliations and understanding that development does not look at which party another person belongs to.
She further expressed delight for having Her Excellency, the Secretary General who has about 250,000 city members under her leadership, for coming to The Gambia to empower women.
Madam Emillia Saiz, Secretary General United Cities and Local Government World Secretariat in Spain, explained that the meeting with the President was very inspiring and that it shows the level of support to women at local level, putting them in the forefront in the fight for development.
‘‘The President also emphasised on how important it is to forget about the political colors and to collaborate in all areas of government and with actors,’’ she stated.
She said the President has acknowledged the very important role women play in society, local leadership particularly the leadership of the Mayor of Banjul.
Madam Pascale Labbe, the 2nd Vice President of Seine Saint Denis, who is also in charge of the International Observatory of Violence Against Women and Gender Equality, said they are happy to organise trainings on violence against women and are excited to be in the country.
She highlighted that they are at the local level and are pushing for local policy to work for violence against women.
‘‘We are happy to meet the President, to promote our policy, which is the public policy violence against women. We have shared our experience that can help women of The Gambia so that they can fight violence. We are thankful the President and Honorable Mayor for accepting to host us,’’ she said.
