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 In addition to the work of the GCR, the Government through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare provides refugees with access and treatment to health facilities as it pertains to cost of treatment in all Government hospitals. The Government has over the past welcomed persons fleeing persecution, civil upheaval and conflict such as with those from Cassamance, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The Government through refugee host community leadership assist refugees to integrate locally in The Gambia by providing them with land to build their homes and to farm on. Furthermore, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees facilitates the local integration of refugees through various livelihoods support. During the influx of refugees from Cassamance, Senegal in 2011, the Government provided material assistance such as food, shelter, clothing and free medical care. Senegalese refugees from the region of Cassamance numbering around twelve thousand (12,000), form the majority of refugee population in The Gambia Female Grand Origin 0-4 5-11 Congo republic 1 Cote d'Ivoire 15 22 Democratic Republic of Congo 2 Guinea Bissau 1 2 Liberia 6 2 Rwanda Senegal (Rural) 466 725 Senegal 32 90 Sierra Leone 8 10 Somalia Sudan Togo 1 531 852 Male 12-17 1 14 8 1 5 497 60 8 1 18-59 2 40 14 3 22 1 1,596 182 36 1 2 2 597 1,899 60 and Female Total over (d) 4 93 25 7 36 1 3,490 378 62 2 0 5 2 1 1 206 14 224 Table of showing Refugee Population in The Gambia 4,103 0-4 10 2 5-11 1 19 4 4 1 12-17 1 13 4 2 1 411 45 6 789 52 11 505 52 14 1,352 163 27 4 1 1 1 12 482 878 593 60 and Male (d) 5 98 17 5 31 0 3,267 370 58 0 1 18 18-59 3 55 7 2 25 over 210 58 1,647 1 1 270 3,870 Total total 9 191 42 12 67 1 6,757 748 120 2 1 23 7,973 ARTICLE 13. RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN GOVERNMENT: Constitutional and Legislative measures Section 26 of the Constitution guarantees political rights of all Gambians of full age and capacity without unreasonable restrictions ‘to take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives. ‘to vote and stand for elections at genuine periodic elections for public office, which elections shall be by universal and equal suffrage and be held by secret ballot,’ ‘to have access, on general terms of equality, to public service in The Gambia. 58