By Adama Makasuba

A five day capacity building seminar on Inclusive and Accountable Democracy for Women, Youths, and People with disabilities, representatives of political parties and Civil Society Organizations ended in Banjul on Friday.

At least 18 countries including the Gambia are benefiting from such seminars sponsored by the Commonwealth organization.

The seminar that started on Monday aimed at improving and promoting inclusive and accountable democracy within political parties.

Seven political parties –UDP, APRC, GDC, GMC, NRP, GPDP, and PPP were represented along with other Civil Societies Organizations.

Speaking to the press at the end of the seminar at Baobab Hotel, Madi Jorbateh, country representative for Westminster, said “In the Gambia, we are looking at the communities or  sectors of the population that are largely marginalize or not involve in a more qualitatively way and that is women, youths and people with disabilities.”

He said the seminar aimed at making “political parties more accessible and open so that for all sectors of the society to have space to participate in the political process.”

Mr. Jorbateh said the political youths and women wings in the country “are being utilized for propaganda and campaign”, adding “they are not necessarily structures that influence decision-making or that participates in actual decision-making within the party.”

Nfamara Jawneh, executive director for ‘Bekanyang’ a human rights organization in the Gambia said “it is a very important workshop and I do hope that when we go to our respective organizations and parties, we will see massive transformation with regards to inclusion.”

He expressed dismay about discrimination and stigma against people with disability in the Gambian society, adding “there is lot of discrimination and stigma going in our societies and if we don’t involve them we cannot know their problems.”

Mr. Jawneh said offices of various political parties in the country are inaccessible for people with disability, described it as very ‘discriminatory’.