Established in March 2006 by the UN General Assembly in resolution 60/251, the UPR is designed to prompt, support, and expand the promotion and protection of human rights in every country. It is a unique mechanism of the Human Rights Council that calls for each UN Member State to undergo a peer review of its human rights record every 4 to 4.5 years. In January 2025The Gambia will be subjected to the review process.
In her deliberation Dr. (H.C) Fatou Baldeh MBE, a renowned Gender and Sexual and Reproductive Health specialist, suggested recommendations on the implementation of The Women’s (Amendment) Act 2015, which prohibits the practice of FGM/C in The Gambia. She also emphasised the need to address sexual and gender-based violence and improve support services and awareness on SRHR, including transmission of STIs, HIV, and prevention of unwanted pregnancies. In a final call for action, WILL underlined the need to incorporate Gender Transformative Education Approaches as a vehicle for changing harmful socio-cultural norms that contribute to a culture of discrimination against women and marginalised groups, inequity and inequality in Gambian society.
The UPR Twitter X account @UPRinfo tweeted “#PS48 @WomenInLiberat1 raised concerns on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in #Gambia. They urged [The Gambia] to introduce a #Gender transformative #Education system to transform social norms and fully enforce the Women’s Act 2015”.
