By Awa D Conteh @ Alhagie Babou Jallow
It is 57 years this year since The Gambia gained independence from the British colonialists on February 18th 1965. As the country celebrated the 57th anniversary on Friday, 18th February 2022 at the MCcarthy Square in Banjul we reflect on the independence struggles of the founders and lessons that can be learnt for the current generation. Often times when the history is being recounted the contributions of women to the struggle for independence are neglected or minimized. We engage the right Honorable Fatoumatta Jallow Tambang, former Vice President of The Gambia, who served in various public serve capacities since the first Republic, to shed light on the contributions of Gambia women to the independent struggle and in politics in the ensuing years.
Before we get to the Q& A with the renowned technocrat, and rights activist, here is a brief background of Vice President Jallow Tambajang:
Aja Fatoumata C.M. Jallow-Tambajang born 22 October 1949 is a Gambian politician and activist who served as Vice-President of the Gambia and Minister of Women's Affairs from February 2017 to June 2018, under President Adama Barrow. She went to school in Gambia, Senegal, and France
Early in her career she had been the chair of the Gambia National Women's Council and an advisor to Dawda Jawara, the first President of the Gambia. During this time, she worked with a number of women’s organizations and engineered reforms, initiated and launched a fund for special needy medical patients – The Sera Jarjue Fund.
After the military coup d'état in July 1994 that deposed the Jawara government, she held the post of Secretary of State for Health and Social Welfare from 1994 to 1995 in the cabinet of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council. She was one of two female ministers in the cabinet, alongside Susan Waffa-Ogoo. She addressed the International Conference on Population and Development in September 1994 on behalf of the Gambia. She then went on to work for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and in the field of development, including 5 years in war-torn Mano River. In 2001, whilst working in the African Great Lakes, she was the victim of a rebel hostage situation.
Tambajang was a senior member of Coalition 2016, the alliance of political opposition parties that supported Barrow in the 2016 presidential election. She was invited to work with the country’s opposition parties in order to assist them to achieve a greater gender balance, and later became the chair of Coalition that brought an end to President Jammeh’s authoritarian rule. After the opposition won the general elections of 2016 under the leadership of Adama Barrow, Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang was first appointed minister of women’s affairs in February 2017 and later vice president in September of the same year.
The mother of eight children is widely regarded as a national icon, and an award-winning UNDP-groomed development practitioner focused on gender mainstreaming. She was awarded Gambia’s highest national citizen award by Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara.
Q&A
Q: Often times when the history is being recounted the contributions of women to the struggle for our independence is hardly noticeable, what is your take on women’s participation in our struggle for political emancipation from colonial rule?
Women of The Gambia were not left out in the struggles for attainment of our independence as manifested in the track records of their activities before, during and after the colonial rule.
Q: How would you describe women’s participation in politics and leadership during the First Republic?
There were a limited number of women in politics or decision making, because they faced many challenges including cultural barriers and lack of resources.
Q: What has been their contribution in other sectors of the economy, particularly farming?
The Gambian women did not retreat or surrender their role and responsibilities in the development of the country and humanity at large. They are always in the forefront; whether is education, works or commerce. Aside their domestic chores, they are pursuing education at all levels, as well as skills and professional development.
Women have been very productive in agriculture. They have been active in many areas of farming such in rice and cash crop cultivation, animal rearing, poultry, horticulture and other vegetable productions throughout the year.
Q: How would compare and contrast the status of women from the First Republic to the current situation?
It is interesting to note that, each of these presidents were on record on various occasions hailing the uncompromising and steady efforts of Gambian women towards achieving the desired sustainable development objectives of the country and humanity at large.
The doors were wide open during Sir Dawda’s leadership. He provided the strategic leadership, the motivation and inspiration for women who had the capacity and commitment to participate in decision making. And this is why he established a woman's Bureau, which has now gone to the Ministry. They also provided a lot of programmes like the woman in development programme. That was established just to help women economically; supporting them in literacy, skills development, and agriculture; to increase their productive capacity and providing incentives to have value addition and so forth. I had the opportunity to serve as the chairperson of the National Women's Council and represented the Gambian woman in the Social and Economic Council. We were looking at where the gaps are in terms of how women and men access education, how they access vocational training, how they access opportunities in agriculture, and in the informal sector.
In the Second Republic under former president Yahya Jammeh, it was a restrictive environment. Although the door was open for people who wanted to participate, yet the dictatorship tendencies made women hold back, because women do not want to be disgraced. I served as minister of Health and Women’s Affaires but you see I did not stay long; I just served for only seven months.
Women are known for their hard work, dedication and commitment to duty at domestic, community, national, sub-regional, regional and international levels, and this reality is more evident and striking under the Third Republic of President Adama Barrow, wherein their efforts are felt across all sectors of the country.
We have women leading in many different capacities including ministers and permanent secretaries, directors general, managers, clerks, secretaries among others. They are performing to the best of their abilities for the interest, benefit and welfare of Gambians and humanity at large. This is unlike before, when women were not fully participating.
The women of The Gambia did not spare the domestic chores, education at various levels including higher education and other skills and professional centre spread across the country and beyond.
Q: Why is it important to empower and encourage women’s participation in development?
Over the years particularly in the Third Republic under President Adama Barrow the provision for economic and social empowerment of women has been growing, but they still need to add up because women are assets in economic and political that should cherish by all.
Q: What advice would give to young women who are looking up to you for inspiration?
Let them equip themselves with knowledge because knowledge is key to success. Once you have the knowledge, the professional capacity, then you should have belief in yourself. Believing in yourself means that you want to do something or have a goal or dream of becoming someone. Ensure that you seek mentors, because everybody needs somebody to guide you.Make sure you integrate yourself in the system -the political system. They can work in their communities, and take part in the development committees. From that leadership experiences they can run for local offices like councillorship and move up.
Q: Could you share with us what have been involved in since you left government
I am mostly into consultancy in the area of governance. Like when countries need me to advise on specific areas. I serve as international observer on elections. I have been to Nigeria, Botswana, and Malawi. When people also come in the country, after meeting different stakeholders, they to come to seek my perspective on the issues.
Q: Finally?
As The Gambia gears up to celebrate its 57th Independence anniversary we wish all Gambians, especially women, happy, progressive and prosperous celebrations in advance.