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 environmental impacts of projects on the indigenous people and gives them the power to participate in the assessment and decision-making process. In addition, The Gambia has various existing Government policies on environment protection such as the Fisheries and Water Resources Policy, The Gambia environment action plan 2008- 2018 and the Agricultural and Natural Resources Policy 2015 that is currently under review. There has also been developed the Environmental Discharge Permit Regulations, 2001, which sets out the guidelines for the acceptable procedures for the discharge of waste, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Guidelines, and procedures booklet, indicating the EIA process for all project developers in The Gambia. Additionally, The Gambia has also signed and ratified several International and regional instruments in particular the Basel Convention and the Bamako Agreement that are geared towards protecting against trans-boundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal. Furthermore, The Gambia has also ratified the Stockholm Convention to address the issue of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) that remain in the environment for prolonged periods and are hazardous to human health and the environment. Relevant stakeholders have been engaged to discuss domestication and implementation of these conventions. An autonomous statutory body, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has also been established for the purpose of ensuring that the environment is protected from degradation and exploitation of natural resources. Some of the goals of the NEA include the following; to ensure an environmentally sustainable economic and social development in The Gambia, to have a legal recognition of the fundamental right to a sound environment, ensuring the health and wellbeing of all those living in The Gambia. The NEA also has locus Standi before the courts, to prosecute cases involving environment degradation or pollution. The Government through the NEA has also made great strides in waste management and control. This institute is mandated by the National Environment and Management, Act to ensure that the environmental management legislations are enforced. The NEA also enforces the Hazardous Chemical and Pesticides Control and Management Act 1994 which ensures that all pesticides and hazardous chemicals are registered and licenses are issued to all suppliers. 115