In a heartfelt recognition of decades of dedication to protecting women and girls, She Awards Gambia has presented the prestigious Legacy Award to Haddy Mboge Barrow, a trailblazing advocate and founder of the Network Against Gender-Based Violence (NGBV).
The award, announced as part of the 2025 SheAwards ceremony, celebrates Barrow’s profound impact on confronting sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in The Gambia. Organizers described her contributions as ones that “echo beyond time,” highlighting her role in building survivor-centered systems, policy reforms, and national platforms that continue to safeguard vulnerable communities.
With over 40 years of service as a community development practitioner, gender specialist, and women’s rights champion, Barrow has shaped public health, social justice, and gender equality efforts not only in The Gambia but across Africa. Her career began in the 1970s when she established a Maternal and Child Health Unit at the Niamina Dankunku District Health Centre, delivering antenatal care, infant welfare, and safe deliveries to thousands in rural areas.
Trained by the World Health Organization in 1982, she became one of the first national trainers in The Gambia’s Primary Health Care program, pioneering the training of Traditional Birth Attendants and Village Health Workers to strengthen community-level health systems.
Barrow advanced women’s economic empowerment through microfinance programs, designing agricultural loan schemes with flexible grace periods for rural women and supporting the registration of over 38 community-based organizations to access vital services.
At the Gambia Family Planning Association (GFPA), she founded a Gender Action Team. She managed gender-based violence cases while providing technical support on sexual and reproductive health to International Planned Parenthood Federation affiliates across English-speaking Africa.
As Municipal AIDS Coordinator at the National AIDS Secretariat, she integrated gender-responsive approaches into HIV programming across Kanifing and Banjul.
Her most enduring achievement came as Founder and first National Coordinator of NGBV, transforming it into a leading national platform for advocacy, survivor support, and capacity building. Under her guidance, the network established One-Stop Centers nationwide, offering survivors integrated access to shelter, medical care, psychosocial support, and legal aid.
Barrow coordinated the country’s first multi-stakeholder steering committee on gender-based violence, uniting government, civil society, and UN partners. Her advocacy efforts were instrumental in the enactment of The Gambia’s landmark Sexual Offences Act, bolstering legal protections for survivors.
She also spearheaded fundraising initiatives that secured approximately USD 1.5 million for GBV prevention, survivor services, legal redress, and women’s empowerment, and contributed to the repatriation and reintegration of trafficking victims.
She Awards Gambia extended congratulations to all 2025 nominees and recipients, thanking them for their service in advancing the nation. Barrow’s recognition underscores the enduring power of principled leadership in driving systemic change.
Her legacy, as one that protects, empowers, and inspires generations of women and girls, remains a beacon in The Gambia’s ongoing pursuit of gender equality and justice.
