President Barrow assembled most male-dominated government in decades
President Barrow’s minor cabinet reshuffle has shaped up to have a smaller percentage of women Cabinet Secretaries than his first cabinet and that of his predecessor’s cabinet picks for decades. This cabinet makes it one of the least gender-balanced cabinets in our history.
It is unremarkable. A new report shared exclusively has found that 80 percent of appointments for top jobs in the Barrow administration have gone to men – putting President Barrow on track to assemble the most male-dominated Cabinet Secretaries in decades. Without a significant shift, men will outnumber women in top positions of the Barrow administration.
President Adama Barrow has taken a very comfortable posture. He has not stretched nor challenged himself. He is an unorthodox politician and it seems this has come through the choice of cabinet, bizarrely risk averse. He has fired almost all the ministers that did not support his political agenda. Fair enough!! President Barrow has disproportionately staff his administration with men. Yahya Jammeh, in contrast attracted scorn for filling 60% of political positions with women in cabinets, and for passing over women for several high-profile cabinet appointments.
In my earlier postings, I wrote how Spain has demonstrated what women empowerment means: “Spain has set a record; female participation in government. 11 of the 17 ministers sworn in yesterday are women (61%).
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says he wants his progressive government to be a “loyal reflection of the best in a society it aspires to serve”.
In the female-dominated cabinet, ladies hold the economy, finance, defense, foreign affairs & education portfolios – a post-kickback government unequivocally committed to equality. Yes. Breaking barriers: a planet, away? (Source: BBC)”
In a thunderbolt delivered on a weary Friday afternoon, President Adama Barrow in one fell swoop dumped women who propped his first Cabinet. In the national announcement preceded by a soothing preamble on cabinet appointments, the President retained only two female Cabinet Secretaries and appointed fresh male faces. Home-bound after Friday’s shocker are all the two women Cabinet Secretaries and 14 of their male colleagues.
This Cabinet reshuffle is sloppy. It is difficult to understand why the President keeps shortchanging women. Why does the President ignore gender parity? There’s a strong correlation between economic and political empowerment: these two areas seem to reinforce one another, as women get ahead at work and seek better representation in politics; and as female politicians set policies to support women’s professional lives,” Ceri Parker, Associate Director and Commissioning Editor at the World Economic Forum, wrote, “If we want a world with no gender gap, we need changes in policies, in business practices and in cultural attitudes.”
A renounced Political analyst pointed out the business case for diversity — which diversity has proven time and again: more diversity in management makes companies and organizations more successful.
In a thunderbolt delivered on a weary Friday afternoon, President Adama Barrow in one fell swoop dumped women who propped his first Cabinet. In the national announcement preceded by a soothing preamble on cabinet appointments, the President retained only two female Cabinet Secretaries and appointed fresh male faces. Home-bound after Friday’s shocker are all the two women Cabinet Secretaries and 14 of their male colleagues.
There’s a fair amount of social science research now that shows if a company is more diverse, if there are more women on the board, if there are more women in the company, if there are more minorities, the company performs better.
President Barrow’s decision to exclude more gender from serving in his Cabinet is inexcusable and deeply damaging to our representative democracy. President Barrow has dangerously signaled that the people who advise the president to do not need to represent all of Gambians. His cabinet pick decision erodes the forward progress made by every Gambian to seek out bright and qualified women and young people to serve our nation as Cabinet members. His cabinet appointments are anti-democratic.
Furthermore, critics have questioned whether most of President Barrow’s Cabinet picks are even “the best and the brightest.” Instead of assembling a talented and diverse Cabinet that would help advance the interests of all Gambians, Adama Barrow has broken with the gender parity precedent of past presidential administrations and has missed a major opportunity to shed the gender and ethnic divisiveness that were hallmarks of the coalition presidential campaign.
This is not about political correctness. It is about representative democracy, this is a disaster and setback for the country. As president, President Barrow needed to appear like the big man that he is by absorbing a few of the ministers from the camp that did not support him. It is woeful that some ministers been retained. We know President Barrow is the boss but appointing an “adversary” would have shown his true greatness.
At this stage in our political development, we can at least agree that:
1. What is in the best interest of Gambia is picking men and women who are best qualified.
I also wish more women were picked, but only if they are most qualified not just because of gender. Women don’t desire special treatment, just fair treatment, respect and position earned. Not given.
If Alagi were to make a case for women removed or passed over because of their gender, I will say the cabinet reshuffle is sloppy. No such evidence was presented.
Most accomplished women find it patronizing and insulting to be considered or suggested for political positions because of gender.
Having said that most Gambian men are patently sexist and rude to women. They view us as beneath them even in face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Perfect example is the rude, disgusting and disgraceful way some on this forum choose to flex their weak muscles against all opinion rendered by women. I think we are all aware, it is indicative of a serious inferiority complex cum mental illness too well reflected in our larger society.
I do agree Gambia will never progress until we respect our children and mothers and give our women an opportunity and important roles in nation building. The new cabinet will have been more balanced and reflect our population if qualified women were given the opportunity to serve.
Even the blind can see what a mess you men have made of our lives and the future of our children.
Dr said: ” … most Gambian men are patently sexist and rude to women”
Dida: I have no experience of ‘Gambian men’ but just Gambian women … but won’t say anything against either because my beloved child are both.
Dr Sarr said: “Gambian men view us as beneath them even in face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary”.
Dida: Men (and even boys!) everywhere tend to treat girls and women as the lesser of our species. But my daughter loves meeting that nonsense attitude at school because she loves “squashing” it. The solution is a) to equalise the LAWS as we have done here in UK and b) then it is up to the INDIVIDUAL to rise above. On this point, I remember Dr. taking the position in a debate that she expects her daughters’ husbands “to look after them”. I think Andy and I argued that we expect our daughters to look after themselves. Forgive me if I remember incorrectly Dr.
Dr. Sarr said: “Perfect example is the rude, disgusting and disgraceful way some on this forum choose to flex their weak muscles against all opinion rendered by women”.
Dida: Dr, on the first part of this statement you gave back as good as you got … and I would say “better” than whatever was thrown at you. You won! You also use the plural “women”. Unless I missed something, it was only one woman, your good self, involved in the confrontation with these “weak” men.
Dr. Sarr: “I think we are all aware, it is indicative of a serious inferiority complex cum mental illness too well reflected in our larger society”.
Dida: On this point I must bow to the doctor’s professional expertise – although again I am uncomfortable with the generalisation.
Dr. Sarr: ” … Gambia will never progress until we respect our children and mothers and give our women an opportunity and important roles in nation building”.
Dida: Yahya Jammeh gave women the most “opportunity” ever in Gambia’s history. And yet, Dr, women proved to be just as thieving and brutally violent as men … and I give you the example of the 20-year Vice-President, “Dr” Isatou Saidy-Njie herself. Find out how many compounds these Jammeh women minister bought and how much per diems they claimed … I bet it is no less than men and in the case of “Dr” Saidy-Njie it is much worse than many men ministers. Gender by itself does not make one individual virtuous over another … the odious Donal Trump won the USA presidency partly because of the nasty, corrupt and vicious violent nature of his woman opponent “Killary” Clinton. The world would be in a world war today if Hilary had won. I think you will also recall the black National Security Advisor in Bush’s cabinet – she led in the push for the Iraq war knowing full well that the would be as many as one million casualties. Coming back to Africa itself Dr. Sarr, I once argued in an article that THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AFRICAN MOTHERS SPEND ON BLEACH CREAM, DEAD INDIAN WOMEN’S HAIR AND FASHIONABLE CLOTHES COULD END CHILD MALNUTRITION ON THE CONTINENT – IF THAT MONEY WAS SPENT ON FOOD FOR AFRICA’S CHILDREN. Of course, we could argue similary about men’s flashy cars (and I once wrote on that too) – but the debate here is whether women in positions of power will make a difference. I have argued before that “evil has no colour” and I will add that “evil has no gender”.
Dr Sarr: “Even the blind can see what a mess you men have made of our lives and the future of our children”.
Dida: I am afraid this applies to both men and women if generalised – though of course the enpowered privileged woman has the resources to ensure her daughters are empowered too (but then again I am a man and I am committed to empowering my daughter). But the privileged woman’s efforts does not necessarily apply to all children – just her children. The evidence Dr. is to be seen in the privileged class around you. And just look at two dictators wives – and they are women: Abacha’s and Yahya jammeh’s both of whom robbed the children of their country. Sure, I am for equal representation of women in all areas of our lives, but I don’t buy the notion that this would necessarily make things better for women and children: our first woman Prime Minister here in UK was nick-named the “School Milk Snatcher” because she ended free school milk for children when Minister of Education … and her policies as Prime Minister created more unemployment, poverty and social dislocation in modern British history.
On a final point, the UK here directed the financial Child Benefit help into the mother’s bank accounts – not dads. These kind of government innitiatives directed at women does directly help women (although again I am aware of a particular woman who used that money meant for the welfare of her child to travel to Africa to “show off”!!).
“you men” Ouch.
Yes Mr Tilly Bo i found it very sad when gambian are on decent Arguments in which people looking forward to bring our country way Forward but instead people started Throwing insults on each other like rain which i found very sad and Lack of respect for our parents,naturally everyone is entitle his or her own opinion but in decent and respectful way thats what i Believe i raised this question to babu because i was a very keen Follower of his opinions and Comments since the starting but saying Mr jawo is his Junior Really Knocked me on my head when i go through the exchange of words babu made with the poeple in the past years is unimagineable i wish you all a pleasant and a healthy weekend
Gender sensitivity is not an absolute yard stick for effectiveness. Capable people are needed in positions irrespective of their gender. This becomes a disease in the minds of many. Feminism will not take us anywhere.
Well Omar, Black Feminism has been a critical driving force of progress in our struggle to end slavery and colonialism. I don’t know your interpretation of feminism but saying feminism will not take us anywhere is a historical fallacy.
You are right that gender sensitivity is not a yardstick for measuring effectiveness, yet leave gender sensitivity and gender parity out of any “yardstick” and you are bound to fail. Our mothers are the most hardworking on the planet, yet they are taken advantage of and constantly trampled upon as if they would not even be deserving of the right to life.
So cut that out.