She was addressing the 8th African Regional Conference on Women (Beijing+15), which commenced in Banjul, Gambia. The conference brings together participants from over 43 African countries, among them about 28 African ministers in charge of gender affairs.

Barka said: ‘‘Supporting stronger role for African women will boost the economy, reduce infertility, improve child survival and slow population explosion, which are all proven ways to help achieve and maintain family stability and national development.’’

She added: ‘‘With only five years remaining to the global landmark of Beijing+20 in 2015, it is high time Africa departed from this unproductive rule of 'doing business as usual.’’

According to the organisers, this conference will seek to look at progress achieved in Africa since the Beijing Summit on Women fifteen years ago, and it will seek to identify pending challenges for the implementation of the 12 critical areas of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA).

A representative of the Gambia government, the permanent secretary at the Office of the Vice President, told the gathering that women’s participation in the economic sector has seen a great improvement, but that a lot more needs to be done.

She pointed out that women still constitute a significant minority at the higher levels of wholesale related enterprises, control and ownership of industrial company, top managerial positions of private sector institutions among others. She delved on the crucial issue of gender violence, describing it as a critical problem faced by women and girls.

This, she said, must stop. The Gambia, she noted, welcomes the global campaign to end violence against women.