Sisters Awa and Ndey

Equality between men and women is not to be compromised or minimized. There are
certain things that women can do that men can't and vice versa.
I am so happy that you have  made it clear that some of the bad habits or traits
we men have are from our  cultural backgrounds and not Islam as many seem to
think. example the many wives just to please a man's sexual desires versus the
true religious aspects of having a second spouse.

However  we must all have tolerance and understanding to bring about good changes
by dialogue in such matters. It is not one way as many want it.  It takes two to
tango . Together we will all make our future lives better and more  adherent to
the ideal or proper religious teachings of Islam and Christianity  by love &
respect for each other - male or female.

Thanks and best regards
Habib

[log in to unmask] wrote:

> We would like to take this opportunity to extend our solidarity to the family
> of Agi Joof. We would like to thank Malanding and Habib for reminding us of
> this very sad and important date. It also reminds us of the brutal fact that
> Gambian women will not be free as far as they continue to be victims of male
> violence.
> We salute her and other women throughout the world.
>
> Karamba, Saiks, Omar Drammeh, Basil, Sidibeh, Ebrima Ceesay, and all those
> who responded to our posting, we say a big thank you.  We especially salute
> the guys because we feel they are setting good examples in acknowledging
> their sisters' woes by supporting their growth and development.
>
> Ebrima just reminded us about the infamous FGM.  Until 10 years ago, no one
> dared launch anti-FGM campaigns in the Gambia.  Nowadays, women are saying
> "no" to being butchered, and "yes" to gaining control of their bodies -- and
> their husbands love them just the same (compared to the darks days when women
> were ridiculed by their peers for speaking against such practices). Gone are
> the days when as Gambian women, we could not open our mouths and express our
> feelings...... FGM is among many of our problems that needs to be address but
> as we always say the struggle has to continue until victory is achieved.
> There cannot
> be any development without the full participation of women.
>
> Jabou, we empathize with the women whose husbands treat them like second
> class citizens. However, we feel that western education is not the only way
> of the Gambian woman gaining her independence.  There are women entrepreneurs
> back home who work in tailoring, fabric merchandising, etc., and we do not
> think they would be treated like that.  Let's help our sisters back home with
> the resources for self-enhancement, thus raising their self-esteems levels
> high enough to take a detour from maltreatment like you described.
>
> One thing we have to realize as human beings, is that men and women are
> the two necessary constituents of humanness; the correlatives of human kind;
> and that humanity is made up entirely neither of men nor of women. It follows
> that all the rights that accrue to men should logically accrue to women.
> Reality is radically different, though: The severance of men and women has
> distorted the compact unity of humanness and deprived one half of humanity,
> i.e., women, of their right to full development and the opportunity to
> contribute more meaningfully to society.
>
> Mr. Sidibeh, we anxiously await your commentary as promised.  Upon receipt,
> we will respond.
>
> Regards,
>
> Awa Sey & Ndey Jobarteh
>
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