The Gambia Takes a Bold Step Towards Gender Equality in Public Administration

Banjul, October 6, 2025:   There’s exciting news from The Gambia. In coordination with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, UNDP launched the Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions. This powerful initiative is designed to support public institutions to ensure that gender equality is fully integrated into the core of public service delivery. Three institutions will be Seal pioneers in The Gambia: the Ministry of Public Service, the National Audit Office and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare itself.

A Turning Point for Governance

In the presence of the Honourable Minister of Public Service, the Auditor General of the National Audit Office, the Ministry of Gender, senior government officials, development partners, civil society representatives, and members of the media, Ms. Mandisa Mashologu, UNDP’s Resident Representative, underscored the importance of the Seal,  describing it as “a bold step forward, a commitment to embed gender equality into the very fabric of our public institutions.” 

The Honourable Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, Ms. Fatou Kinteh,echoed that sentiment:

“This initiative represents a turning point in how we approach governance. By embedding gender equality in our public institutions, we are not only addressing long-standing disparities but also strengthening accountability and service delivery for every Gambian.”

Why It Matters

Although women make up more than half of The Gambia’s population, they hold just over 31% of senior leadership roles in the civil service. Their representation in politics and governance is also limited.   Representation is only part of the picture and women in The Gambia continue to face systemic challenges in access to education, economic opportunities, and protection from gender-based violence. Persistent social norms and institutional gaps further hinder progress towards full gender equality.

The Gender Equality Seal aims to change that – by setting clear standards and encouraging accountability across the public sector.

A Global Movement

With this launch, The Gambia joins over 100 public institutions in 33 countries that are using the Gender Equality Seal to transform public governance and accelerate inclusive development, in line with the Beijing Platform for Action, the Sustainable Development Goals and The Gambia national commitments on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The official launch was followed by a three-day training aiming to equip the Gender Equality Committees of the three institutions with tools and skills to drive public administration reforms that are needed to meet the Seal global quality standards.