Advisory Notes

Sexual harassment, particularly against women poses a serious challenge to victims. It can affect the victim’s self-esteem and dignity. Although sexual harassment often takes the form of men harassing women, it can also happen to men, women, boys and girls in different contexts. At present, there is no law that requires employers to adopt anti-sexual harassment policies in The Gambia. Therefore, employers largely rely on ordinary internal disciplinary proceedings in handling sexual harassment at workplaces which are not ideal lasting solution to sexual harassment as they usually do not focus on the victims. In light of this gap, this note offers an opportunity for reflection on the need to collectively combat sexual harassment at workplaces, schools, universities and homes. Therefore, the NHRC counts on the support of the Government and relevant institutions to initiate a national dialogue on sexual harassment and to promote the adoption of policies that address sexual harassment in the workplace.

Section 25 (1) (d) and (e) of the 1997 Constitution, guarantees the right to freedom of assembly and freedom of association, respectively. These rights are also sine qua non for effective political participation and accountability.

However, the right to freedom of assembly and association was frequently interfered with by the former Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) government under President Yahya Jammeh and those who attempted to exercise their fundamental right of assembly and association were frequently arrested, detained, tortured and even killed. With the advent of a new government led by President Adama Barrow in 2017 and the increased demand by the people for their fundamental rights and freedoms, the right to freedom of association and assembly has been severely tested in The Gambia.