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
ensure deterrence. This Act aims to eradicate child marriage and to ensure children below eighteen (18)
years are being encouraged to stay in school and complete their education and not to be taken out of
school for the purposes of marriage. In addition, parents and community leaders are also being sensitized
on the advantages of education and the dangers of early marriage.
Furthermore, as a socially vulnerable group, the growth of the child and attainment of his rights as
enshrined in the Children’s Act are being addressed in a multi-faceted approach;
In the area of education, the Constitution provides for the right to equal educational opportunities.
The Constitution further provides for free basic education for all and the encouragement of
functional literacy. It is also directive principles of state policy to ensure basic education for all
citizens and provision of adequate resources so that such tuition for basic education shall be free
for all citizens. In addition to the constitutional provisions, the Children’s Act also provides for the
right to education.
The Gambia education polices 2004–2015 and 2016-2030 aim to promote broad-based education
at the basic level for lifelong learning and training and mainstreaming gender in the creation of
opportunities for all to acquire literacy, livelihood skills and the utilisation of these skills in order to
earn a living and become economically self-reliant members of the community. One of the policy’s
objectives is to introduce a School Improvement Grant (SIG) in order to make basic education free
in all Government and grant-aided schools. A bursary scheme for girls will also be established
which will cover the cost of uniforms and stationery especially for girls in the rural area.
As a result of the measures taken to improve literacy and school enrolment rates, an increase has
been recorded in the enrolment of girls in lower basic education from with 5.5% per-annum
between the years of 2010 to 2015. The Gross Enrolment Ratio for girls increased from 89.1% in
2010 to 103.5% in 2015 with girls now representing over 50% of enrolment in formal lower basic
schools. It has also been recorded that the ratio of boys to girls in senior secondary level is 1:1 in
senior secondary level.
C. Protection of the Elderly
In The Gambia, It is estimated that the elderly constitute 3.5 percent of the population. Government has
made it one of its priorities to protect the rights of the elderly, and improve on their social welfare
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