Africa-Press – Gambia. Eighteen of The Gambia’s 22 registered political parties have endorsed a sweeping communiqué pledging concrete steps to strengthen women’s participation and representation in national politics, marking one of the broadest cross-party agreements on gender reforms in the country’s recent history.
The accord was adopted at the National Conference on Women’s Political Participation and Representation, held Dec. 15–16 and convened by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) in collaboration with local partners. The two-day gathering brought together political leaders, election officials, civil society actors, and advocates to examine the barriers facing women in public life and to chart a unified reform agenda ahead of the next electoral cycle.
The communiqué outlines commitments to expand women’s political representation, foster safer and more inclusive political spaces, and strengthen mechanisms that amplify women’s voices within party structures and national institutions. Parties also agreed to pursue gender-responsive electoral reforms, including the adoption of gender quotas, and to provide security support for women aspirants and candidates—measures long sought by gender advocates.
Organizers and participants described the agreement as a meaningful step toward closing persistent gender gaps in Gambian politics. Among those attending were Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang, a former vice president, and Joseph Colley, chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, who both underscored the importance of sustained political will to translate the commitments into practice.
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