The event held under the theme -“With Rights Comes Responsibilities: Promoting a Holistic Culture of Respect for Human Rights”, seeks to empower young Gambians to tackle pressing human rights issues.
Addressing the gathering, Momodou Bittaye, president of UTGDA, underscored the importance of the event, highlighting that they have witnessed human rights violations over the years and yet in some instances, the vices still occur.
“As young people we must amplify our voices and share our opinions on these issues,” Bittaye said.
The championship, he added, is not just about debating, but rather it is about raising awareness and empowering youth to address human rights violations.
Bittaye spoke of their ambitious plans for this year’s event, targeting participation from 12 schools in the Greater Banjul Area and West Coast Region and four schools from each of the remaining regions.
“The impact of this championship is key as we want to see students understanding human rights issues and contributing to addressing them,” he added.
To that end, he thanked all their partners namely, ANEKED, the French Embassy, and other sponsors for their unwavering support.
Ebrima Darboe, chairperson of the 2025 National Human Rights Debate Championship, underscored the importance of the event in driving national progress.
“Human rights are a concern for everyone, and every individual deserves to have their rights respected,” he added.
Reflecting on the country’s past, he explained that considering what ‘we experienced during the Jammeh era, students must take the lead in discussing these issues and finding solutions.”
Darboe promised a seamless and engaging championship, urging participants to dive fully into the debates.
Sirra Ndow, ANEKED County representative, gave a background on the formation of the organisation, saying the organisation was established to promote respect for human rights in general, but more specifically, combat and advocate against entrenched disappearances and extrajudicial killings, not just in the Gambia, but on the continent.
“This is a debate competition, we plan to continue having it annually, and the UTG Debate Association has really been fundamental in what we do.”
