THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA’S COMBINED REPORT ON THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN & PEOPLES’ RIGHTS & INITIAL REPORT ON THE PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA 1. Family Protection Constitutional & Legislative Measures Section 27 of the Constitution on the right to marry provides that ‘’ men and women of full age and capacity shall have the right to marry and found a family based on the free and full consent of the parties’’. 2. Protection of Women & Children The Gambia has made significant progress in the promotion and protection of women and children’s right. Major development has occurred during the period under review with respect to women and children. A. Women Constitutional & Legislative Measures  Section 28 of the Constitution on the rights of women provides ‘’ women shall be accorded full and equal dignity of the person with men and they shall have the right to equal treatment with men, including equal opportunities in political, economic and social activities’’.  In furtherance to the provision of the Constitution, The Gambia, in realisation of its obligation to international conventions, have domesticated both the provisions of the Maputo Protocol 2003 and the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) into the Women’s Act of 2010 and it is applicable to all women in The Gambia and enforceable in the High Court. Some of the salient provisions of the Act include the right to dignity, access to justice and equal protection before the law, right to moveable and immoveable property, right to freedom of expression, protection from violence, prohibition of discrimination, right to health and health care services, the rights of women in rural communities, right to marry, special protection of elderly women, women with disabilities and women in distress. Measures Taken for the advancement of Women.  The Gambia has taken numerous measures to improve women’s status in the political, economic and social life of the country. A specialised Government department called the Women`s Bureau 87