[{"bbox": [97, 152, 1135, 260], "category": "Text", "text": "factors driving high dropout and low retention rates among females include: inadequate support at school and/or at home to continue with education; a lack of school safety and limited if any gender-appropriate facilities (latrines); and pregnancy and early marriage. For boys, expectations to contribute to the family income, including through 'backway migration', are among the influencing factors."}, {"bbox": [97, 284, 1135, 340], "category": "Text", "text": "In The Gambia, gender disparities pervade socio-economic, political, and cultural spheres, resulting in a range of inequalities. Specific issues impacting gender equity include:"}, {"bbox": [97, 341, 1135, 420], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Legal and institutional frameworks: despite progressive laws and policies aimed at promoting gender equality, implementation gaps remain, and women's rights are not fully protected, particularly in the realm of family law governed by Sharia."}, {"bbox": [97, 421, 1135, 475], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Participation in decision-making: women's involvement in decision-making at all levels is limited, reflecting broader gender inequalities in power and influence within The Gambian society."}, {"bbox": [97, 476, 1135, 556], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Legislative representation: women are underrepresented in The Gambia's political landscape, comprising a minute fraction of the National Assembly members. This gap persists despite legislative efforts and international commitments to enhance women's political participation."}, {"bbox": [97, 557, 1135, 635], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Economic participation: women face a stark wage gap and are more likely to work in the informal sector or to be unemployed. They have lower ownership rates of assets like homes and land and are less likely to have bank accounts."}, {"bbox": [97, 637, 1135, 692], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Access to resources: women's access to financial resources and credit is constrained, hindering their entrepreneurial activities and economic independence."}, {"bbox": [97, 693, 1135, 773], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Employment: female labour force participation is high, but employment is often in less secure, informal sectors. Unemployment affects youth, particularly young women, and educational achievement does not necessarily translate into job security."}, {"bbox": [97, 774, 1135, 854], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Education and literacy: while the gender gap in education is narrowing among younger age groups, significant disparities remain. Women are less likely to attain secondary or higher education levels, influencing the literacy rate which stands higher for men."}, {"bbox": [97, 855, 1135, 933], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Health and survival: women's life expectancy outstrips men's, but they are disproportionately affected by health issues like HIV/AIDS and maternal health conditions. Health and survival rates vary with economic conditions and access to healthcare."}, {"bbox": [97, 936, 1135, 1016], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Gender-based violence: a significant portion of women report experiencing physical, emotional, or sexual violence, with many cases going unreported due to stigma and fear. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) remains prevalent despite legal prohibitions."}, {"bbox": [97, 1017, 1135, 1098], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Early marriage and pregnancy: early marriage rates are notably higher for girls, especially in rural areas, and correlate inversely with wealth. Teen pregnancy remains a significant issue, impacting girls' educational and economic opportunities."}, {"bbox": [97, 1099, 1135, 1153], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Childcare and domestic work: women disproportionately shoulder childcare and domestic responsibilities, impacting their ability to participate fully in education and the workforce."}, {"bbox": [97, 1154, 1135, 1233], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Social Norms and Cultural Practices: Patriarchal values deeply influence gender relations, perpetuating discrimination and limiting women's public participation. While shifts towards gender equality are noted in urban areas, rural regions maintain more traditional gender roles."}, {"bbox": [97, 1259, 1135, 1390], "category": "Text", "text": "At school levels, the teacher workforce in The Gambia is predominantly male. Given the high prevalence of GBV in schools as well as teenage pregnancies leading to early marriage and school dropout, safety mechanisms and accountability must be in place and enforced. While MoBSE has recently developed a mentorship system for teachers that includes provision of student counselling, these services are not properly functional and remain to be reinforced."}, {"bbox": [97, 1418, 1135, 1632], "category": "Text", "text": "Gender disparities are significantly affected by competencies in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). In The Gambia, at least a pass (including credit) in mathematics is a requirement for entry to the University of The Gambia (UTG). In the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) particularly at tertiary levels, possessing a strong mathematical knowledge and skills is necessary. Students have been failing the subject, causing low enrolments at Gambia College and UTG to take up STEM courses and by extension the availability of female teachers at SSE to teach on STEM subjects. The poor performance in mathematics among senior secondary school students is negatively impacting their access to tertiary institutions for higher education in order to effectively take part in future national developments like"}, {"bbox": [1130, 1654, 1145, 1676], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "8"}]