At the event discussions focused on pressing issues affecting women and children, including child marriage, domestic violence, FGM, inheritance, divorce, child custody, and maintenance.
Mariatou J. Newlands, Program Coordinator and an Executive Member of FLAG, reminded that the Association has been in existence for twenty years with a clear mission to create nationwide awareness and enhance access to justice.
“This three-year project aims to reach the most remote areas to address issues mainly affecting women and children,” she said.
Both days featured interactive question-and-answer sessions between participants and FLAG’s resource persons. Free legal advice and one-on-one consultations were also provided. The team replicated the same sessions in Kwinella village on Saturday.
The outreach wrapped up on Sunday with a community sensitisation caravan from Nema Kuta to Kwinella and neighboring villages. Using public address systems and face-to-face engagements, FLAG lawyers educated residents on legal protections under Gambian law.
The team also held dialogue sessions with councils of elders in several communities to discuss sensitive legal matters, including inheritance rights, divorce procedures, child custody and maintenance, marriage laws, child marriage, domestic violence, and FGM.
Over the three days, FLAG sensitised community leaders, youth, and women’s groups on the proper protocols to follow if one becomes a victim of abuse, discrimination, or family disputes.
The mobile clinic bridged the justice gap by providing free legal aid in rural communities that often lack access to legal services.
FLAG reaffirmed its commitment to continuous public legal education and ensuring access to justice for women and children across The Gambia, especially in hard-to-reach areas.
