The Gambia to Undergo Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2025
On the 14th of May 2024, the NHRC held a Stakeholder Engagement at the Kairaba Beach Hotel on The Gambia’s Fourth Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review. The event brought together representatives from Government, Civil Society Organizations and the security, under the theme: ‘Upholding International Human Rights Standards: A Pathway to a More Democratic Governance in The Gambia’.
The Universal Periodic Review is a mechanism established by the United Nations Human Rights Council, to improve the human rights situation of all Member States through peer reviews.
In his opening statement, the Chairperson of NHRC, Mr. Emmanuel D. Joof, highlighted the significance of the Universal Periodic Review process which gives States the opportunity to discuss measures adopted to improve the human rights situation in their countries. He reminded participants that during the forty-third session of the Human Rights Council (November 2019), 222 recommendations were made to The Gambia, out of which it accepted 207 recommendations. Since then, the NHRC has been raising awareness and popularizing those recommendations to remind the State about its obligations.
“The National Human Rights Commission has a crucial role to play in The Gambia’s review process, as a State institution mandated by law to promote and protect human rights. Our role is to make sure that the State implements the recommendations they have accepted” Mr. Joof emphasized.
Ms. Yvonne Masarakufa, who represented the UN Resident Coordinator, described the UPR as a significant process that will avail The Gambia the opportunity to highlight actions taken to improve the human rights situation in the country.
Mark Lemon, Executive Director of Universal Rights Groups in Geneva, mentioned that the 2025 session will help The Gambia engage more effectively with the UPR process. He also said that stakeholders (NHRC and CSOs) are also expected to submit reports which provide an objective and accurate assessment of the human rights situation.
“Sometimes Civil Society Organisations see their roles as predominantly to criticize the Government – what the Government is not doing, which is fine. But I think civil society also has an incredibly important role to praise the Government when they do the right thing, and where possible, to work with them”, he stated.
Mrs. Ndey Bakurin, the Executive Director of TANGO, mentioned that the process is very important to The Gambia, and it is also important to know that civil society will prepare a shadow report that complements the Government’s report.
Ms. Bakurin raised concern about the Government’s commitment to the implementation of one of the recommendations The Gambia accepted during the UPR 3rd cycle which is to enforce the Children’s (Amendment) Act of 2016 and the Women’s (Amendment) Act of 2015 and guaranteed the eradication of FGM.
“This is very important to us, and we know that the discussions are going on, and it is being threatened by efforts to repeal the Act in our National Assembly”, she stated.
Ms. Bakurin commended the NHRC for taking the lead in the UPR process and urged participants to prepare an objective report and submit it accordingly to the Human Rights Council.
As the Gambia is set for another review in 2025, the Government is expected to submit its National Report in October 2024, while stakeholders such as the National Human Rights Commission and NGOs are expected to submit their Complementary Reports by 16th July 2024.
