NHRC CHILD RIGHTS MONITORING UNIT
The Child Rights Monitoring Unit (CRMU) of the NHRC is a joint initiative between the Commission, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare and UNICEF aimed at strengthening child rights monitoring and accountability in The Gambia. The Unit is a permanent structure within the Commission and is set up to strengthen the work of the Commission in child rights promotion and protection in the country. It is also a significant milestone in fulfilling The Gambia's obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
In the 2025 Concluding Observations to The Gambia, the Committee on the Rights of the Child expressed concern over the country’s inadequate institutional capacity to monitor the realisation of children’s rights, especially in relation to data collection, enforcement of laws, and follow-up on previous recommendations. The Committee also noted in the Concluding Observations that the absence of a National Mechanism for Reporting Implementation and Follow-up (NMRIF) further weakens accountability on international child rights commitments. Thus, the Committee recommended the establishment of monitoring mechanisms for the general implementation of the Convention.
The CRMU is under the Directorate of Legal and Investigation, staffed with a Child Rights Officer and a Data and Research Officer.
The objectives of the Unit are:
+ Promote a holistic and coherent approach to Child Rights Monitoring in the country.
+ Strengthen national capacity to monitor and follow up on CRC recommendations through targeted advocacy and technical support, in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare.
+ Strengthen child rights evidence generation and data, analysis, accessibility and visualisation for advocacy, policy reform and reporting and promote greater accountability for children’s rights.
+ Encourage and improve national capacity to monitor and report under international and regional child rights obligations.
+ Institutionalise child rights monitoring within the NHRC to ensure accessibility and responsiveness to children.
