There are good prospects for the promotion, protection and enhancement of human rights in The Gambia, a The Gambia’s Constitution on the protection of fundamental human rights is one of the most progressive British West Africa as enshrined in chapter IV of the 1997 Constitution. There are lot of instruments already in place including the Children’s Act, 2005, the Women’s Act, 2010, the Statutory Ban on FMG and early Child marriage; among others. The new Gambia is better poised to ensure that there is now going to be effective remedies for the past human rights failures that The Gambia was recently notorious for. A Truth and Reconciliation Commission is in the making; and similarly, The Gambia Human Rights Commission is being operationalised. Status of implementation of the Community texts The Gambia is committed to the domestication of ECOWAS Protocols and Conventions and continues to monitor the implementation of number of the ECOWAS programmes. Among these include the implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), the Inter-state Road Transit Scheme (ISRT), and ECOWAS protocol on the community levy, the value Added Tax Policy and in the preparation for the implementation of the Common External Tariff (CET). The Gambia in 2017 has started the implementation of ECOWAS Common External Tariff. Prior to the start of the implementation, capacity building in the area of training of Custom officials and Clearing Agents were carried at the national level; the technical constraints in uploading the CET text files is also resolved and as well as proto type server been purchased for the accommodate the CET tariff for implementation. The Government of the Gambia has ratified forty three (43) Community Protocols and Conventions, out of total of fifty four (54). These ratified protocols and Conventions are being implemented by the Gambia. Efforts are being intensified to ratify the remaining Protocols and Conventions. Implementation of the Community Levy The Government of the Gambia is fully compliance to the ECOWAS protocol on Community Levy.
There are good prospects for the promotion, protection and enhancement of human rights in The Gambia, a The Gambia’s Constitution on the protection of fundamental human rights is one of the most progressive British West Africa as enshrined in chapter IV of the 1997 Constitution. There are lot of instruments already in place including the Children’s Act, 2005, the Women’s Act, 2010, the Statutory Ban on FMG and early Child marriage; among others. The new Gambia is better poised to ensure that there is now going to be effective remedies for the past human rights failures that The Gambia was recently notorious for. A Truth and Reconciliation Commission is in the making; and similarly, The Gambia Human Rights Commission is being operationalised. Status of implementation of the Community texts The Gambia is committed to the domestication of ECOWAS Protocols and Conventions and continues to monitor the implementation of number of the ECOWAS programmes. Among these include the implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), the Inter-state Road Transit Scheme (ISRT), and ECOWAS protocol on the community levy, the value Added Tax Policy and in the preparation for the implementation of the Common External Tariff (CET). The Gambia in 2017 has started the implementation of ECOWAS Common External Tariff. Prior to the start of the implementation, capacity building in the area of training of Custom officials and Clearing Agents were carried at the national level; the technical constraints in uploading the CET text files is also resolved and as well as proto type server been purchased for the accommodate the CET tariff for implementation. The Government of the Gambia has ratified forty three (43) Community Protocols and Conventions, out of total of fifty four (54). These ratified protocols and Conventions are being implemented by the Gambia. Efforts are being intensified to ratify the remaining Protocols and Conventions. Implementation of the Community Levy The Government of the Gambia is fully compliance to the ECOWAS protocol on Community Levy.
Gambia-Country-Report-1st-Ordinary-Session-10-25-May-2017.docx