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The Office of the Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices (GAMCOTRAP), has over the weekend, launched six (6), milling machines in the villages of North Bank Region, namely Medina Kanuma, Bakindic, Sika, Bakalar, and Toro Alasan, respectively. The handing over ceremony of these materials was made possible through the generous support of the UNFPA and Front-Line Women for Ex-Circumcisers, who voluntarily dropped their knives, serving them as a source of income.  The UNFPA County Programme, through GAMCOTRAP, disbursed the six (6) milling machines to the above-mentioned villages to end FGM. The objective was to provide sustainable Alternative Employment Opportunities for ex-circumcisers within the region, aimed at economically empowering them and supporting their transition from cutting girls to safeguarding women and girls from FGM.  GAMCOTRAP recognizes the critical role Ex-Circumcisers play in raising awareness about Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and other forms of Sexual...

  Author weighs-in on the legality of Barrow’s iron gripped to power, and the self-perpetuating rule  By Alagie Saidy-Barrow    You would often hear Barrow supporters and the Eaters say that legally, Barrow has every right to self-perpetuate in power and begin that process by running for a third term in 2026. Even Barrow’s detractors and those who do not support him concede that he has a legal right to continue the self-perpetuation. Some of Barrow’s “againsers” (as we say in Badibu) caveat their legal concession by insisting that while he has the legal right to contest, it is still morally wrong. For a nation enmeshed in syncretism, I shudder at the thought of mixing politics and morality, but I guess there is a reason why we have a political party called Gambia Moral Congress.    Some of the "againsers" are quick to remind us that Barrow himself spoke out against the very act of self-perpetuation that he is championing today. Of course, everyone who stan...

    The Honourable Deputy Speaker, Seedy SK Njie, welcomed a high-ranking European Union (EU) delegation led by Ambassador-Designate Immaculada Roca I Cortes. The high-level meeting focused on reviewing the progress made on the implementation of the recommendations made by the EU after The Gambia's 2021 elections, particularly as the country looks forward to its next electoral cycle beginning in 2026.  The EU post-electoral report made 20 recommendations, of which 15 targeted legal reforms to enhance electoral fairness and transparency. The meeting discussed EU concerns regarding transparency measures and access to information within the National Assembly by the general public. In response, Deputy Speaker Njie highlighted several initiatives, including a dedicated communications unit, committee-led townhall meetings and oversight activities, live-streamed sessions, and open media access to parliamentary proceedings. The continuity of consultations with civil society organ...

  The Gambia Press Union (GPU) today began a two-day validation of a draft Assault and Battery Guide for Journalists as well as train 25 participants on how to utlise the guide as part of efforts to address impunity for violent attacks on journalists and media workers. This event forms part of activities under the EU-funded Consolidation of Democratic Dispensation in The Gambia (CODE) implemented by International IDEA, and meant to support participatory, inclusive, and human rights-based democratic transition in The Gambia. The validation and capacity building are aimed at providing journalists and media workers with the legal knowledge and understanding of process and procedures for seeking redress on assault cases and similar violations of press freedom. Since 2017, the GPU has documented numerous incidents of journalists facing assault and intimidation, primarily from political party supporters and security forces. None of these cases, some of which are reported to the police, h...

  By Sheriff Saidykhan  Madi Jobarteh, a renowned Gambian human rights activist has said that The Gambian President Adama Barrow needs better advice and guidance.  His comments came amid the media fraternity meeting with President Adama Barrow on Monday to address key issues impacting the media landscape in The Gambia, including the need for a conducive media environment, press freedom, and media law reforms. Plus the need to drop the lawsuit charges against the voice, editor. The meeting brought together leading media figures, veteran journalists, representatives from the Women Journalists Association, MAJaC, and members of both the Media Council and the Gambia Press Union board.  In his usual Facebook posts to speak up about happenings in the country, especially human rights issues, he (Madi Jobarteh) added that if the President was committed to the freedom of the media, why would the IGP arrest Voice Newspaper journalists. “If the President was indeed committed to...

  In The Gambia, a country often celebrated for its vibrant cultural diversity, an unspoken reality continues to plague thousands of people: caste-based discrimination, particularly against communities discriminated on work and descent (CDWD). Despite significant strides toward abolishing slavery and improving human rights, the shadow of descent-based oppression remains deeply entrenched, affecting every facet of life—from education to religious practice, and even basic human dignity. This isn't just a historical footnote; it's a living reality for many who are marginalised because of their caste, a system that continues to enslave families generation after generation. Halimatou Ceesay, a rights expert for the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD) in The Gambia, spoke at the African Commission for Human and Peoples' Rights, bringing the issue to light. “In The Gambia, communities continue to endure caste-based discrimination that mirrors the i...

  The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria is calling on media and relevant stakeholders to work in greater partnership to create a safe and enabling environment for journalists to operate. IPC is making the call today as journalists, other media professionals and freedom of expression groups mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists with the theme: Safety of Journalists in Crises and Emergencies. IPC regrets that the safety of journalists during crises and emergencies in the country remain unguaranteed as evidenced by attacks on the media and journalists during the recent #EndBadGovernance protests and previous ones such as #EndSars. IPC is particularly worried that the perpetrators of the worsening spate of attacks are rarely brought to justice hence the regime of impunity for crimes against journalists continue to reign while the country also continues to rank high among countries where press freedom and freedom of expression are consta...