The Gambia’s Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, Fatou Kinteh, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Türkiye’s Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, to strengthen cooperation on gender equality, family welfare and social protection.

The agreement was signed on Wednesday in New York City and is aimed at deepening collaboration between The Gambia and Türkiye in promoting social development and protecting vulnerable groups.

Under the deal, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare of The Gambia and the Ministry of Family and Social Services of Türkiye will cooperate in areas including women’s empowerment, child protection, family support systems and social welfare programmes.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Kinteh said the partnership would allow both countries to share experiences and best practices in addressing gender inequality and strengthening social protection systems.

She added that strengthening institutions responsible for gender equality and family welfare is key to ensuring inclusive and sustainable development.

Officials from the Turkish ministry reaffirmed their commitment to supporting initiatives that improve the well-being of women, children and families, noting that their ministry implements policies on family welfare, social support programmes and the protection of vulnerable groups across Türkiye.

The agreement also provides for policy exchange, capacity building, training programmes and joint initiatives aimed at improving social service delivery in both countries.

Officials say the partnership reflects the shared commitment of both governments to promote gender equality, strengthen family institutions and improve the quality of life of their citizens.

The Gambian ministry also expressed appreciation to the Government of Türkiye for its continued support and reaffirmed its commitment to working with international partners to advance the welfare of women, children and families in the country.

By Sarjo M. Camara, reporting from New York