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Sang Mendy, direktør på MAJaC, kæmper i samarbejde med flere organisationer om at forslaget om lovliggørelse af kvindelig omskæring ikke bliver en realitet.
Af Rasmus Stouby
Medieakademiet MAJaC forsøger med hjælp fra GAMES at rejse penge til en kampagne, som skal bekæmpe et forslag om lovliggørelse af kvindelig omskæring.
I 2015 blev det ulovliggjort i Gambia at omskære piger og kvinder. Den lov er nu foreslået omgjort, så det igen bliver muligt at praktisere omskæring. Lovforslaget skal i tredje – og sidste – behandling i juni måned i “The National Assembly”. Der er altså kun kort tid at arbejde i, og GAMES’ gambiske partnere vil forsøge at råbe politikerne op.
“We stand for democracy through high-quality journalism training. As a civil society organization, we are obliged to examine human rights issues, like assembly and expression. We are not limited to training but are also involved in advocacy for human rights”, siger Sang Mendy, der er direktør i MAJaC.
MAJaC, fagforeningen GPU, og den kvindelige journalist forening WOJaG har samlet en koalition af CSO’er, der vil forsøge at påvirke folk og beslutningstagere inden den sidste afstemning. De er også i dialog med anti-FGM (female genital mutilation) og kvinderettigheds NGO’er om at deltage i kampagnen.
“Cutting has to do with the human rights of women and girls. When we collaborate with CSOs in a coalition, we should be able to work with them to produce materials for them to use upcountry or with opinion- and political leaders”, siger Sang Mendy.
Indtil nu er den offentlige diskurs domineret af mænd, fortæller Sang Mendy.
“There is a stark gender imbalance in the discussions. The voices of women are being silenced, with men dominating the narrative. At the National Assembly, it is the men who are promoting this. Also, it is men on television and radio. Religious leaders are mostly men. It is men that are seen talking more about this issue. This imbalance is not just unfair, it is detrimental to democracy. Women’s voices are repressed – the women do not have the guts to talk about it, because our culture does not amplify the voices of women. Women will be scared to speak about these things and that will end up infringing on their rights”.
Det bliver dog ikke nemt at nå at ændre lovforslaget, lyder det fra Sang Mendy.
“It would be a difficult thing (to be successful), and we will not be able to promise success, but you never know. The campaign could impact the decisions to be taken before it gets through the National Assembly for the final vote”, siger Sang Mendy.
Læs eventuelt Gunver Bjerres artikel om sagen på Globalnyt.