Championing Women: The Custodians of the Economy
The BNT movement recognizes that women are the primary drivers of the Gambian economy, yet they remain systematically excluded from the benefits of their labor. Over 78% of Gambian women are engaged in agriculture, yet only 30% receive direct cash income.15
The Women’s Platform: From Manual Labor to Ledger Management
BNT’s policy is to elevate women from the “garden” to the “boardroom” of the Julasene economy. This will be achieved through:
1. Formalizing the Kompins: Transforming traditional grassroots organizations (Kompins and Kafoolu) into formalized cooperative business entities with legal standing to negotiate trade contracts.25
2. Digital Financial Inclusion: Leveraging the “Bantaba” payment system to ensure that women have direct, real-time access to the payments for their produce, bypassing predatory middlemen.26
3. Agri-Processing Leadership: Prioritizing women-led SMEs for match-grant funding in the agri-processing sector, particularly in horticulture and poultry value chains.19
The BNT message to women is centered on Dignity and Ownership. The website will feature a dedicated “Women of the Boat” section, highlighting that the Fourth Republic will not be built on the backs of women, but by their hands.25