Lawmakers trained on human rights 

The three days capacity building training which was held at the Senegambia hotel, targeted the National Assembly Committee on Gender, Children and Social Welfare and the Committee on Human Rights.

The training, aimed at building the capacity of the country’s lawmakers with a view to enabling them promote and protect human rights particularly on vulnerable groups, was organised by OHCHR and funded by PAPEV, UNFPA, UN AIDS, UNICEF and the government of The Gambia.

Speaking at the convergence, the minister for Gender, Children and Social Welfare, Fatou Kinteh, said: “No country can truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half of its citizens,” she postulated.

Minister Kinteh added: “These will therefore hinder the potential of women to contribute in transforming societies and economies, and the power of an educated girl to transform her family, her community, and her country.”

Violence against women and children in our society, she added, continues to be under-reported despite the effort of the government and other actors to curb the problem.

The Gender Minister said: “Child sexual abuse, child begging, early and forced marriage, child labour, child trafficking and exploitation continue to be challenges with significant adverse consequences on children's health and well-being and the heartache of every mother.”

“The Government of The Gambia has signed and ratified major international and regional human rights instruments relating to children and women progressively working together to promote the rights of vulnerable groups such as women, children, persons living with disabilities and persons living with HIV/AIDS.”

Chairperson of the NHRC, Emmanuel Joof, said: “Human rights are bedrock of a just and equitable society. Therefore, as lawmakers, it is your responsibility to safeguard these rights within our legislative framework,” he emphasised.

He maintained that International Conventions and national laws obligate states to respect, protect and fulfil these rights thereby promoting global standards for human dignity and equality especially that of women and children.

Hon. Madi K. Ceesay, Chairperson of the Human Rights Committee and Member for Serrekunda West, spoke at length on the significance of the training, adding: “As national assembly members, we are expected to deliver our duties and responsibilities in our various committees. Therefore, I want us to take the training seriously so that when we leave this hall, we will be guided with principles so as to enable us effectively protect our people, especially the vulnerable groups.”