By Mustapha Jarju
National Assembly Member for Central Badibou, has vowed to seek changes in traditional laws to help protect young girls from early marriage in the country.
In an exclusive interview on Wednesday, Sulayman Saho, National Assembly member for Central Badibou Constituency and a member of the committee said the house committee “is looking forward to old laws that need some changes to be reconsidered.”
According to him, the house committee is aware of the gender base violence which is in the form of sexual exploitation and economic disadvantage of women, added the committee is working with rights networks to fight against sexual exploitation of children in the country.
“Some young girls engage in sex because of curiosity and lot of girls have access to phonographs which is causing a lot of disadvantages on the children on sexual exploitation. More so, the in effective communication of parents towards girl child is also another effect as well as poverty. Legislation is also an issue because there should be a strong legislation so that the perpetrators and the culprits who are found guilty of child sexual exploitation would face full strength of the law,” he pointed out.
“Children involvement in sex can lead to early pregnancy and sometimes when it happens can lead to abortion that can lead to death and it is really a problem which is affecting the Gambia. People need to come together to fight for the children and anyone found wanting for child exploitation face the law.
“What happen are the institutions that are directly affected to come up with the bill and us as the parliament will try to support them to make sure the bills are passed and become a law. But the implementation is in the hands of the executive to make sure that the laws are enforced,” he continued.
Meanwhile, Mariama Y Fatty an ECD teacher from Latrikunda said: “children involvement is affecting most especially those at age 15 and below who are not fit to deliver might cost their life during the delivery process and if such child become pregnant she will end up dropping out of school which might have impact on the child’s life carrier, he cited.
She added that: “there is need for sensitization of both parents and the children on sex education and there are certain videos parents should avoid their children from viewing because such might impact on them.”
“We should do everything to avoid children engagement in sex by providing them with appropriate information,” she said.
