The theme for this year’s event was “freedom, equality and justice for all: The state of human rights in The Gambia.”
The celebration began with a march-past by right activists to serve a visual representation of unity and diversity, from the Brusubi Turn-Table to Baobab Hotel.
Also, the event was characterised with inter-schools’ human rights quiz competition final between Masroor Senior Secondary School and Armitage Senior Secondary School in Janjanbureh.
At the event, Famara Jawneh, executive director of the Beakanyang Kafo, reminded that IHRD provides an opportunity to reflect ‘our achievements, challenges’ and put in strategies to overcome the challenges faced in advancing human rights.
“In fact, it compels us to scrutinise the state of human rights in our beloved nation, to assess our progress, confront our challenges and collectively envision a future where the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are not just aspirational but the lived reality for every citizen,” Jawneh revealed.
Thus, he said, the International Human Rights Day (IHRD) is a day of reckoning a global call to action, to address the persistent challenges that undermine the principles we hold dear.
Jawneh urged government and institutions to reaffirm their commitment to human rights principles, aligning policies and practices with the values of freedom, equality and justice for all citizens.
Empowering schools and communities with knowledge and resource, he observed, is essential in enabling them to actively participate in the protection and promotion of human rights at the grassroots level.
He, however,emphasized the need for continued collaboration between government bodies, civil society organizations and individuals, saying it is through such that they can hope to achieve lasting impact and foster a society where human rights are not just protected but flourished.
Muhammed S. Bah, president of The Gambia Press Union (GPU) said that human right is everyone’s business, saying he looks forward to more progress and to seek solutions challenges currently faced on how to collectively address those challenges.
