The Gambia joins the world in celebrating International Human Rights Day

On 10 December 2020, The Gambia joined the world in celebrating International Human Rights Day whose theme was related to the COVID-19 pandemic and focused on the need to build back better by ensuring Human Rights are central to recovery efforts, and that human rights standards are applied to tackle entrenched, systematic, and intergenerational inequalities, exclusion and discrimination.

The UN in The Gambia supported the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), an independent permanent body created by the National Assembly to promote and protect human rights in The Gambia.  The NHRC collaborated with the University of the Gambia (UTG) Law Faculty to conduct a maiden Moot competition named after the late Sir Dawda Jawara, in recognition of The Gambia’s contribution to the drafting of the African Charter on Human Rights through the efforts of the late Sir Dawda Jawara.

The Moot competition, aligned with the commission’s mandate to ensure public awareness through educational programs to promote a culture of human rights in The Gambia, created an opportunity to educate students, explore ways to address violations and prevent recurrence.  The competition was pivotal in engaging students on human rights issues, thereby ensuring students are fully equipped to handle tomorrow’s challenges via a human rights lens. As the UN in The Gambia proceeds in advancing Agenda 2030, which includes Leaving No one behind, it is essential all sectors of society including the youth, are engaged to ensure gains registered are sustainable especially as The Gambia aims to recover from the pandemic.

The event was also graced by the Honorable Dawda Jallow, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, civil society and international organisations. The UN Resident Coordinator congratulated both the NHRC and UTG students on the successful celebrations and reiterated the UN’s firm commitment in supporting the NHRC in strengthening human rights protection systems in the country, as human rights is a fundamental pillar of the entire UN system.