The minister of trade said empowering women through trade can be an effective driver for the economic inclusion of women and has the potential to reduce poverty.

Addressing the 4th edition of Women Leadership Forum, Minister Seedy Keita said: “Giving women the platform to participate in trade and improving the performance of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can translate into their economic empowerment.”

This year’s event was commemorated under the theme; she Trade and Women Entrepreneurs in the “New Normal” the event was held on Wednesday at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Conference hall in Bijilo.

He further assured the public of his ministry’s commitment to ensuring that women’s empowerment is mainstreamed in various policies and strategies.

Permanent secretary at the ministry of gender, children and social welfare, Rohey Bittaye Darboe, revealed that with the ‘New Normal’ there are market challenges to conquer and different women are using their time to design new approaches and solutions, creating time to engage themselves in several online trainings to sharpen and get new skills.

 “Women, especially Gambian women have shown their resilience and patience in this past year and are investing in causes and concerns that matters to them, not just to make money. Women are focused on promoting health, the environment, sustainability, gender equality and other forms of social justice. Women want to act and do something about today’s issue, starting a new business and improving existing ones are powerful ways to accomplish that,” she explained.

She urged women to be united and have a common agenda of building a stronger country where more women would be empowered.

Mamadou Tangara, the interior minister, said his government is aware of the challenge women entrepreneurs are face with during the pandemic, “a recent survey of women entrepreneurs in the Gambia had found out that 92percent of the previously formed women entrepreneurs saw a reduction of in their report in revenues due to the pandemic.

He assured that his government is working with innovative institutions to effectively leverage and uplift their economy.

 

By Awa Macalo