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
The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) II, covering the period 2009 – 2010, is built
around the attainment of the MDG’s and merges all the priorities of the different policies,
including internationally agreed Covenants and targets such as the Millennium
Development and Education for All Goals.
The UNDAF 2007 – 2011 jointly implemented by the UN Agencies in The Gambia
addresses key priorities of Government in relation to the MDGs such as women’s
empowerment, the generation and utilization of disaggregated data and gender
information, safe motherhood and Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) rights at the
national and sub-national levels.
Gender mainstreaming strategies contained in the Education Sector Strategic Plan, ESSP
2006-2015 are:
i.
Minimising educational costs, especially for girls
ii.
Increasing the number of child-friendly school environments
iii.
Equal gender participation at the Parent Teachers Association (PTAs), governing boards
and management levels of schools.
B. Protection of Children
Constitutional & Legislative Measures
Section 29 on the rights of Children provides that ‘’ children shall have the right from birth to a
name, the right to acquire a nationality and subject to legislation enacted in the best interest of the
children, to know and be best cared for by parents. That children under the age of sixteen are
entitled to be protected from economic exploitation and shall not be employed in or required to
perform work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with their education or be harmful to their
or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.’’
Section 30 on the right to education provides ‘’all persons shall have the right to equal education
opportunities and facilities and with a view to achieving the full realisation of that right; basic
education shall be free, compulsory and available to all’’
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