THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA’S COMBINED REPORT ON THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN & PEOPLES’ RIGHTS & INITIAL REPORT ON THE PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA legislative intervention and prosecution will not be a panacea to the problem of child marriage. It would take education and awareness to comprehensively deal with the issue. Accordingly, the Department of Social Welfare in collaboration with a number of institutions such as Think Young Women, FLAG, NGBV, Child Rights Unit of the Ministry of Justice have been engaged in advocacy and sensitization trainings highlighting the dangers of child marriage and encouraging parents to abandon the practice. 2.3 Female stereotypes (Article 4(2)(c)) Socio-cultural beliefs and practices, such as patriarchy continue to hinder the complete acceptance of women and their participation in positions of leadership. Cultural phenomena have created the stereotype ‘impression that men are superior and women are inferior’ and a ‘socialization process [that] has also led men and women to perceive men as leaders and women as supporters.’ These perceptions are alleged to “put women in the private sphere as wives, mothers and daughters and men in the public domain of decision-making”, as well as the economic and political arena. Further, discriminatory stereotypes especially as relates to education, where preference is given to males in the family as they are viewed as the breadwinners of the family. It is also a directive principle of state policy to especially encourage girls to go to school by providing free education. In addition to the Constitutional provisions, the Children’s Act also provides for the right to education. Furthermore, organisations such as the Female lawyers Association, Think Young Women, Network Against Gender Based Violence, Women’s Bureau, GAMCOTRAP have over the years been engaged in major sensitization of the Women’s Act to challenge the notion of patriarchy in The Gambian society and through the National Women’s Council, women in all districts of the country are represented in this council with the view to engaging women in their community and promote their participation in their communities in decisions affecting them. 2.4: Sexual harassment There is no express provision prohibiting sexual harassment under the Sexual Violence Act. However, Section 6(1) extends its protection to physical, sexual, psychological and suffering of women. 139