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Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices

Contact Address:

GAMCOTRAP
Plot no.41
Kanifing Institutional Area
Kanifing Municipality
Banjul area Head office
P.O Box 2990 Serrekunda
The Gambia, West Africa

Tel no: +220 4399569  /  9813325
                       7675618  /  3953108

Fax:                4399568

Email: info@gamcotrap.gm


Information:
The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children  (GAMCOTRAP) is a national, non-governmental feminist organisation  in Gambia (NGO no: A21) which was established in February 1984 and registered as a non-profit institution in 1997.

It is active in investigating female genital mutilation, campaigns for the end of FGM and sensitizes women about other harmful traditional practices in their communities while promoting beneficial customary practices.

Background:
GAMCOTRAP was founded at a meeting organised by the WHO in Dakar, Senegal, held between the 6 to 10 February 1984. The meeting was called the 'International Seminar on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children'. The main focus of the seminar was to examine the various hurdles and issues women were confronted with regarding reproduction. These problems were seen to have a strong correlation to the different types of traditional practices performed on African women around the continent.

Mission Statement:
GAMCOTRAP is focused on the preservation and promotion of girls, and women's sexual, social, political, education and reproductive rights.

Objectives:
• To lobby & advise on policies to preserve & maintain children & women's rights.

• To determine & enhance traditional practices that elevates the status of women & girls.

• To promote awareness in national & international statutes & conventions that tackles violence & discrimination against girls and women.

• To encourage women to participate in politics & in elected decision making posts.

• To encourage and advocate for the education of girls at all grades.

• To inform and lobby policy makers and decision takers about social & cultural customs that are detrimental to the health of females.

• To employ the rights based strategy into their activities.

• Fundraising to finance their activities locally and internationally.

• To fight for and defend the human rights of females.

• To perform research into traditional practices that touch on the reproductive and sexual health of girls and women.

• To foster greater awareness about the detrimental effects of traditional practices, especially female genital mutilation, inheritance matters, the gender dimensions of HIV/Aids, early girl marriages and culturally prohibited foods.

Strategy:
In order to arrive at their goals, GAMCOTRAP is engaged in regular and strategic awareness and training programs at the grassroots level. These community grounded training schemes are aimed at community and religious leaders, children, women, men, teenagers, medical practitioners, policy makers, civil society organisations, gender rights activists etc.

Their geographical area of intervention covers the Banjul capital, Upper, Lower & Central River Regions, North Bank Region, Kanifing Municipality and the West Coast Region.

Policy Issues:
Being a feminist organisation in The Gambia, GAMCOTRAP are committed to struggling against injustice they see in the various communities around the country. It also acknowledges the practical and moral support of males who are concerned enough to help in the struggle of women and girls.

Their foremost objective is to strengthen grassroots organisations and people as well as those who formulate policy to back women's issues towards equality. It has a policy to recruit both men and women towards meeting its agenda however, the institutions leadership positions will always be held by females.

Areas of Intervention:
• Advocacy
• Disseminating information through newspapers & radio
• Documentation, publications and research
• Programs based at the community grassroots level
• Running a trust fund for girls' schooling
• Sensitization campaigns, workshops & seminars
• Support of other NGOs
• Training & consultancy

GAMCOTRAP Partners:
• ActionAid - The Gambia
• African Women Development Fund
• American Embassy - Banjul
• British High Commission
• Child Protection Alliance
• FOKUS - Norway
• Future in Our Hands
• German Embassy
• Global Fund for Women
• Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC)
• Management Development Institute (MDI)
• National Aids Secretariat of Gambia
• Niyo - Sweden
• Pond Foundation
• Open Society Initiative West Africa (OSIWA)
• Save the Children UK
• Secretary of State for Women's Affairs
• TANGO
• Urgent Action Fund For Women's Human Rights
• UNFPA
• UNICEF
• RAINBO Organization (RAINB)
• UNIFEM (now UN Women)
• US State Department of Health
• US State Department of Education
• WLUML (Women Living Under Muslim Laws
• Women's Bureau
• World Health Organisation (WHO)

Directions:
Opposite Sheikh Zayed Eye Clinic, Serrekunda Hospital
 
 
 
 
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