The Girls’ Agenda annually host a five to seven days intensive empowerment camp for 50-100 girls and young women in The Gambia. The initiative target girls between the ages of 13-24 years and focuses on issues that affect their well-being, including their right to bodily integrity, progress, liberty and freedom.
The empowerment forum covers an intensive introduction to comprehensive sexuality education, life skills including leadership skills learning, education and mentorship for girls, sexual and reproductive health rights issues. A significant focus is placed on harmful traditional practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation. Female genital mutilation and child marriage are some of the most pervasive human rights violations that undermine girl’s well-being, bodily integrity, health, education and self-reliance.
Through this empowerment camp, we will build the assertiveness skills and confidence of girls to speak for themselves and demand for investment in their education, health and wellbeing and protection from all forms of violence and harmful traditional practices. The camp serves as a safe space for the girls to talk about their issues, among trusting adults who can support them or are already doing so. The initiative has been supported by partners such as UNICEF-The Gambia office, The Girl Generation and Amplify Change