Experts of the Committee on the Rights of the Child Commend the Gambia on its Children’s Parliament, Raise Issues Concerning Female Genital Mutilation and Child Poverty
The Committee on the Rights of the Child today concluded its consideration of the fourth to seventh combined periodic report of the Gambia, with Committee Experts praising the State’s Children’s Parliament and raising questions about measures to address high rates of female genital mutilation and child poverty.
Aissatou Alassane Sidikou, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for the Gambia, said it was excellent that a standing secretariat had been established for the State’s Children’s Parliament. What resources had been devoted to the Parliament? Were vulnerable children included in it?
Hynd Ayoubi Idrissi, Committee Expert and Coordinator of the Country Taskforce for the Gambia, expressed concern that female genital mutilation remained widespread in the Gambia, despite a small drop from 76 to 73 per cent of girls in recent years. How was the State party enforcing the prohibition of the practice?
Sopio Kiladze, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for the Gambia, said that reportedly, nine out of 10 children in the Gambia faced multidimensional poverty and barriers to accessing food and safe drinking water. How did the Government plan to address extreme child poverty?
Introducing the report, Fatou Kinteh, Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Welfare of the Gambia and head of the delegation, said that, since the last review in 2014, the State had undergone a significant transformation. In 2017, following a historic democratic transition, the country moved from decades of authoritarian rule to a new era of governance under President Adama Barrow.
On the Children’s Parliament, the delegation said it helped to ensure children’s voices were heard in decision-making processes. The Parliament included children with disabilities. Public service staff worked closely with the Parliament to implement its programmes; more funding was needed in this regard.
The delegation said that the law on female genital mutilation prohibited the practice. The State party was sensitising the public on the prohibition and would continue with interventions to protect children from harmful practices. Previously, 90 per cent of girls were subjected to female genital mutilation, so much progress had been made.
On child poverty, Ms. Kinteh said initiatives such as cash transfer programmes and family strengthening efforts ensured that children in at-risk households had access to basic needs. The Gambia, she said, was increasing investments in community-based initiatives that emphasised food security, dietary diversity, and access to fortified foods. It was also developing bore holes and sanitation facilities.
The delegation added that the Social Protection Act 2024 established standards for the delivery of social assistance to the poor and vulnerable in the country and established a social protection agency.
In closing remarks, Ms. Idrissi said that in the constructive dialogue, the Committee had noted the State party’s challenges, as well as its ambitions and openness. She called on the Gambia to remain ambitious and to continue the momentum it had gained in efforts to promote the rights of its children.
Muhammadou M.O. Kah, Permanent Representative of the Gambia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, in concluding remarks, said the Gambia had taken significant steps to align policies and practices for children with the Convention and international standards, and it appealed to international development partners to support the State in its endeavours. It would translate the recommendations of the Committee into meaningful actions to promote children’s rights.
The delegation of the Gambia consisted of the Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Welfare, the Minister of Justice, and representatives from the Office of the Inspector General of Police; National Assembly; Ministry of Justice; Directorate of Children Affairs; Office of the President; Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Natural Resources; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education; Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Welfare; and the Permanent Mission of Gambia to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of the Gambia at the end of its ninety-eighth session on 31 January. Those, and other documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, will be available on the session’s webpage. Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public this afternoon at 3 p.m. to consider the seventh periodic report of Ecuador (CRC/C/ECU/7).
Report
The Committee has before it the combined fourth to seventh periodic report of the Gambia (CRC/C/GMB/4-7).
Presentation of Report
FATOU KINTEH, Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Welfare of the Gambia and head of the delegation, said children held a sacred place in the Gambia’s cultural, religious, and traditional values. Since the last review in 2014, the State had undergone a significant transformation. In 2017, following a historic democratic transition, the country moved from decades of authoritarian rule to a new era of governance under President Adama Barrow. This transition marked the establishment of the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission, which aimed to address past human rights violations, documenting children’s experiences of violence, exploitation, and neglect.
The Gambia’s legislative framework had been strengthened to align with international standards. The Children’s Act 2005 was amended in 2016 to criminalise child marriage and other harmful practices; the Women’s Act was amended in 2015 to prohibit female genital mutilation; and the Persons with Disabilities Act was enacted in 2021 to ensure the inclusion of children with disabilities.
The Gambia established the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Welfare in 2019 to serve as the primary institution for addressing issues related to gender and child welfare. The Ministry’s Directorate of Children’s Affairs focused on advancing child protection policies and programmes, while its Directorate of Social Welfare ran social protection programmes targeting vulnerable populations. Initiatives such as cash transfer programmes and family strengthening efforts ensured that children in at-risk households had access to basic needs, education, and healthcare.
The Ministry of Justice housed a sexual and gender-based violence unit, and child welfare units had been set up at major police and immigration offices across the country. Toll-free helplines were established for confidential reporting of abuse cases and one-stop centres for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence provided children with access to critical medical, psychosocial, and legal support services, provided in cooperation with civil society organizations. The National Child Protection Strategy, the Minimum Standards for Quality Care in Residential Facilities 2022, the National Referral Mechanism 2022, and the Child Labour Policy had also been operationalised to address critical gaps in child protection.
The Inclusive Education Directorate was working to guarantee that children with disabilities had access to quality education. This effort was supported by the deployment of itinerant teachers and the provision of assistive technologies such as Braille machines and hearing aids. To bridge education gaps, the State had decentralised teacher training to rural regions and introduced hardship allowances; implemented policies to improve enrolment and retention rates; spearheaded free primary and secondary education initiatives; provided school meals in disadvantaged areas; and introduced digital learning tools and infrastructure in urban and rural schools.
The Gambia’s Maternal, Child, Nutrition, and Health Results Project had expanded access to essential health services in underserved communities. The National Health Insurance Scheme ensured equitable access to healthcare services for children from low-income households. Vaccination campaigns had significantly reduced the prevalence of childhood diseases, and adolescent reproductive health education programmes were empowering young people with knowledge to make informed decisions. Nutrition programmes had made significant progress in reducing stunting and wasting among children under five. The Gambia was increasing investments in community-based initiatives that emphasised food security, dietary diversity, and access to fortified foods.
Mechanisms had been established to ensure children’s voices were heard in decision-making processes, such as through the Children’s Parliament, where young representatives deliberated on national issues. Meanwhile, the Children’s Court played a pivotal role in ensuring justice for children. Measures such as confidentiality and the use of child-sensitive procedures ensured that children were protected throughout the legal process.
The Gambia called upon development partners to strengthen support for the State’s efforts for children, particularly in areas such as education, healthcare, nutrition, and child protection. Ms. Kinteh expressed the Gambia’s unwavering dedication to the principles of the Convention and its desire to help build a world where every child’s rights were protected, their voices heard, and their potential realised.
Questions by Committee Experts
HYND AYOUBI IDRISSI, Committee Expert and Coordinator of the Country Taskforce for the Gambia, congratulated the Gambia for setting up a range of transitional justice measures related to past human rights violations, including the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission. What resources had been allocated to implement the national strategy to protect children and what results had the strategy achieved? How was the State party addressing the human and financial resource challenges it faced? Only 0.3 per cent of the State budget had been allocated to the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Welfare, despite its large portfolio. What achievements had been made by the Ministry? Had a State budget for children been established?
Ms. Idrissi congratulated the Gambia on adopting a 2023 law on combatting corruption. What measures were in place to put the law into practice? There was a lack of statistics in the State party; was it working with the United Nations to set up an information system? What efforts had been made to disseminate the Convention and its Optional Protocols to families and children, and to strengthen the capacities of persons who worked with and for children?
The Expert also congratulated the State on setting up its National Human Rights Commission, which had received “A” status from the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions. A unit for protecting vulnerable persons had been set up within the Commission. How did this unit work to protect children’s rights? Could children directly submit complaints to the Commission? Could children whose rights had been violated benefit from free legal aid? What progress had been made in reviewing legislation on sexual offences related to the tourism sector? Were there plans to extend this legislation to other sectors?
Ms. Idrissi cited a survey finding that over two-thirds of parents in the Gambia used corporal punishment. What steps had been taken to prevent the use of corporal punishment in all settings? Had progress been made in setting up an information system within the Ministry of Justice for following up on cases involving children? The State party’s hotlines for reporting child abuse were very welcome. Were children made aware of these hotlines and were operators sufficiently trained?
What progress had been made in preventing child marriage since its prohibition? There was a discrepancy between the Children’s Code and the Personal Status Code regarding the age of marriage. Which law took precedence? Female genital mutilation remained widespread, despite a small drop from 76 per cent to 73 per cent of girls in recent years. How was the State party enforcing the prohibition of the practice? When would the State party submit its initial report under the Optional Protocol on the sale of children?
The Expert congratulated the State party on ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol. When would the State party adopt a law to incorporate this Convention into the national legal system?
AISSATOU ALASSANE SIDIKOU, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for the Gambia, said that in the Gambia, children with disabilities faced difficulties in accessing basic social services; girls were often affected by harmful practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation; and children born out of wedlock could not access inheritance due to the application of Sharia law. What had been done to put an end to these forms of discrimination? The Committee had previously called on the State party to establish guidelines for determining the best interests of the child; what progress had been made in this regard?
In 2017, the State party set up a Children’s Parliament. Were vulnerable children included in it? What results had it achieved? It was excellent that a standing secretariat had been established for the Parliament. What resources had been devoted to the Parliament? What measures were in place to enable children to express their views in all matters concerning them?
Some children who were not orphans had been placed in residential institutions when their parents were not able to care for them. Was there a mechanism in place to support vulnerable families to care for their children? Why had standards on the care of children not been sufficiently disseminated and imposed on institutions? What was being done to inspect and impose sanctions against institutions that did not meet national standards? In some Koranic schools, children did not have access to healthcare and basic social services. What was being done to reform these schools?
SOPIO KILADZE, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for the Gambia, welcomed birth registration campaigns and special measures helping to increase birth registrations across the country. However, only 59 per cent of children below five years of age were registered in 2019, and most children did not have birth certificates. Were there efforts underway to bring the birth registration system in line with international standards? Were children who did not have birth certificates able to access State services? Refugees reportedly did not have easy access to naturalisation; was this being addressed?
The Access to Information Act 2021 was noteworthy but it needed to be appropriately implemented. What was the planned timeline for implementing legislation on cybercrimes? What measures were in place to promote access to the Internet for children in rural areas?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Children’s Act of 2005 provided a comprehensive legal framework for the promotion of children’s rights and the implementation of the Convention. There were various national policies aiming to protect children’s rights. The budget for the Ministry of Children had increased by 34 per cent this year.
There were two tollfree numbers for reporting cases of abuse against children; 912 cases had been reported through these thus far. The Gambia was working to strengthen data collection related to children, in partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund, and was working to raise awareness of the Convention at all levels.
The law on female genital mutilation prohibited the practice. The State party was sensitising the public, including teachers and religious leaders, on the prohibition. The dangers of female genital mutilation were addressed in school and in the university curricula. Police had also been trained on identifying and preventing child pornography, and oversight of the tourism sector had been strengthened to help identify the abuse of children. The State party was working on its initial report on the Optional Protocol on the sale of children.
Communities and hospitals had been sensitised on the importance of birth registration. The State party had developed an electronic birth registration system to ensure universal birth registration. The system had helped to increase the number of registrations significantly. A bill aiming to improve access to birth registration facilities had been developed, and guidance was provided to non-Gambian families regarding birth registration to prevent statelessness.
Last week, the State party commenced recruitment for commissioners to work on the Anti-Corruption Commission, which would lead the fight against corruption in the country.
The Children’s Act provided for free legal counsel for child victims and children in conflict with the law. The State party had a policy for digitalising the Ministry of Justice’s case management systems. The unit dealing with cases involving children would soon start recording digital data.
Under State law, child marriages were valid until they were invalidated. This was because children born in such marriages would not be able to receive inheritance if the marriages were void. However, child marriages were prohibited. Personal law
took precedence in matters of marriage, divorce and inheritance.
The State party had drafted a bill on immigration that would soon be reviewed by Parliament. The bill would recognise refugee cards as evidence of residency, which would allow refugees to apply for Gambian citizenship.
The Criminal Offences Bill, which addressed cybercrimes, would be considered in the National Assembly in the first half of this year. A Child Rights Protection Committee had been established within the National Human Rights Commission. Children could access the services of the National Human Rights Commission without the assistance of an adult.
There was a cash transfer system in place for supporting vulnerable families, and there were plans to increase the amount of funds provided. Residential homes were monitored regularly to ensure that they were in line with State standards; homes that were not in line were closed, and one such home had been closed recently.
The State party provided monthly financial support to non-conventional Koranic schools established across the country to pay teachers’ salaries and to provide children with a sufficient learning environment. The Ministry of Education ensured that children did not need to travel more than five kilometres to go to school. It was mainstreaming early childhood education into public schools. Corporal punishment was prohibited in schools. All cases of corporal punishment and other violations of children’s rights in schools were reported and sanctions were issued in response. The budget for education had been increased by 23 per cent for the current school year, which allowed for increased measures to support vulnerable children. All schools built since 2017 catered for the needs of children with disabilities. Inclusive education was institutionalised in the Gambia.
Children were selected from all regions of the State to serve in the Children’s Parliament, which included children with disabilities. Public service staff worked closely with the Parliament to implement its programmes. More funding was needed in this regard.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
HYND AYOUBI IDRISSI, Committee Expert and Coordinator of the Country Taskforce for the Gambia, asked whether children born from child marriages that were later voided had rights to inheritance and child support? Were there standard protocols for supporting child victims of violence in the justice system? What measures were in place to prevent revictimisation?
SOPIO KILADZE, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for the Gambia, asked whether the Access to Information Act addressed children’s rights to access information. What measures were in place to ensure access to information for children in rural areas?
A Committee Expert asked whether all children in the country could access helplines. What measures were in place to address conservative views supporting the practice of female genital mutilation? How many convictions and fines had been issued for female genital mutilation since its prohibition?
One Committee Expert asked about the proportion of students attending Koranic schools. How did the State party ensure the quality of those schools? Was the State party involved in developing their curricula? Could graduates of these schools attend universities and lead normal lives in society?
Another Committee Expert asked if there was a deadline for birth registration and a cost associated with issuing birth certificates. What was being done to inform people in rural areas of the process for registering births?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the child helpline had national coverage. All operators received training in social services. Currently, the only operational shelter for victims of sexual violence was in an urban area, but work was underway to establish shelters in rural areas.
Work had been undertaken to sensitise all National Assembly members on family planning, adolescent health, and the harms of female genital mutilation.
The Access to Information Act promoted the right to access public records and information under the custody of public entities. It did not have provisions preventing children from accessing such information.
Parents were required to pay maintenance in cases where marriages were voided. Three women had been found guilty of female genital mutilation last year and fined 50,000 Dalasis.
Questions by Committee Experts
SOPIO KILADZE, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for the Gambia, welcomed the national health policy of 2022 to 2030, the decrease in child pregnancy rates, and the increase in exclusive breastfeeding rates. However, the high child mortality rate was concerning; how was it being addressed? There had been a commendable increase in immunisation numbers. Were additional steps planned to further increase immunisation rates? What measures were in place to prevent HIV transmission and address malnutrition? What had been done to reduce child deaths from acute kidney injury?
The Lunatics Detention Act of 1917 was still in operation in the State. Was the State party considering adopting new legislation? Were there plans to improve data collection on suicide and to strengthen mental health services? Did the State party have enough psychologists and were they sufficiently trained?
What measures were in place to strengthen family planning services and sexual health education? Girls faced challenges in accessing hygiene products in rural areas. What measures were in place to address this issue? How did the State party plan to decrease adolescent pregnancies and increase HIV testing? Most Gambians did not support abortion. How did the State party plan to approach this issue?
There had been a rise in cases of drug abuse in the Gambia. Did the State party have a data collection system for drug abuse? How would it strengthen drug rehabilitation programmes? How did the State party deal with child offenders recruited in drug-related crimes?
The State party had implemented commendable social protection policies, but nine out of 10 children in the Gambia faced multidimensional poverty and barriers to accessing food and safe drinking water. These issues needed to be addressed. How did the Government plan to address extreme child poverty? Was it planning to implement a child allowance?
MIKIKO OTANI, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for the Gambia, asked for more information on the laws and policies in place that sought to address environmental challenges. Did the Government have a strategy for addressing pollution and its effects on children’s health? To what extent did children receive information about climate-related risks? How were children involved in community-based efforts to address food insecurity?
Ms. Otani commended the recent increase in the primary school enrolment rate, early childhood education, and school re-entry programmes. A recent study found that financial constraints, school dropouts, and long commutes were major influences of school dropouts. How were these issues being addressed? Were there hidden costs associated with education? Schools were prohibited from expelling girls who fell pregnant. Were girls informed of this law and supported to continue school?
A recent study had found that corporal punishment was used as a form of discipline in Koranic schools. Had efforts been made to integrate these schools in the mainstream education system?
AISSATOU ALASSANE SIDIKOU, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for the Gambia, said that the Gambia had made significant progress in adopting a law on child labour and establishing a national committee on child labour. However, around 25 per cent of children aged five to 17 in the Gambia were involved in child labour and many children in Koranic schools and in street situations were exposed to the worst forms of child labour, including sex trafficking and forced begging. Why did these issues persist? Was there a mechanism for identifying child labour in family businesses? Were there plans to increase the minimum age for participating in work?
Child trafficking remained an issue in the Gambia. Did the State party plan to conduct a study into the phenomenon? What measures were in place to provide holistic care for victims of trafficking? What had been done to raise awareness of this issue and strengthen the identification of victims?
Arrested and convicted children were placed in the same facilities as adults in the Gambia, due to a lack of dedicated facilities for children. Were there plans to strengthen the capacity of the juvenile justice system and to establish juvenile detention facilities? Did the Gambia apply alternatives to detention to children?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Gambia had introduced targeted measures to ensure children’s dietary requirements were met, including community-based nutrition programmes, nutritional surveillance programmes, and the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of the baby’s life. The National Nutritional Policy 2021-2025 allowed for coordinated action, ensuring that interventions were impactful. There were awareness raising campaigns on nutrition targeting rural areas, and subsidies were provided to rural families to promote food self-sustenance. The Gambia produced around 50 per cent of its total food consumption needs. The State was also investing to increase the availability of fortified foodstuffs. Legislation on nutrition standards had also been revised to help tackle malnutrition.
The Social Protection Act 2024 established standards for the delivery of social assistance to the poor and vulnerable in the country. It also established a social protection agency.
The Gambia was taking steps to improve air quality in the State, introducing initiatives promoting renewable energy and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The State was highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. It actively participated in international initiatives to address climate change and was also pursuing local environmental projects such as mangrove restoration. It was developing bore holes and sanitation facilities and educating the public on the importance of proper sanitation.
The State was working to build capacity in the field of juvenile justice. There were plans to construct a detention centre for children. Reforms such as the digitisation of court proceedings were expected to expedite court proceedings and reduce the time children spent in pre-trial detention. Community-based penalties were provided as alternatives to detention for children. Children could stay with their mothers in detention until age six, and expecting and lactating mothers were held in separate facilities suited to their needs.
The Child Labour Policy defined the age of work at 16 years and the age of apprenticeship at 12 years. Financial support was provided to vulnerable families to encourage them to send their children to school rather than force them to work. There were awareness raising campaigns in place on trafficking in children. Shelters were established to support child victims of trafficking. Private businesses that had facilitated child trafficking had had their services terminated. The State party was working to raise the awareness of persons working in the tourism industry on the issue of child sex tourism.
Abortion was a crime in the Gambia and was only allowed when the life of the mother was in danger.
Koranic schools were regulated by a dedicated unit within the Ministry of Education. The unit had offices in all regions of the country. The syllabus for these schools was the same as for other schools in the country. Transitional programmes were in place to support graduates of these schools to continue to university education. There were challenges in addressing corporal punishment in non-recognised Koranic schools. In 2022, a government taskforce had been set up to monitor these schools and improve their practices. There were around 128,000 students enrolled in Koranic schools, which was around 15 per cent of the total school population.
The Government was working to ensure that each region had educational facilities of all levels. Primary and secondary education at State schools was free. A re-entry programme had been developed to support children who had dropped out to return to school. School resources, such as uniforms, shoes and textbooks, were being provided to vulnerable children in remote areas, and school feeding programmes were helping to improve school enrolment and retention. There were an estimated 75,000 children out of school in 2022; however, over 32,000 of those children had been brought back into the school system as of April 2024.
Obstetric fistula was a critical health issue particularly affecting rural women and girls. The State party was educating communities on prevention and the importance of timely health care. It provided free or subsidised treatment programmes and was promoting sexual and reproductive health education to delay early pregnancies.
More than half of births were registered on average across the State. There was a large discrepancy in registration rates between urban and rural areas. The State monitored the quality of health services provided by health centres, and the regularisation of private health institutions was ongoing. The Government was working to increase vaccination rates in the first and second years of life. The rate of exclusive breastfeeding was 61 per cent as of 2022. There was a lack of psychiatric nurses in the State. Mental health services were not available outside of urban areas, and the bill on mental health was yet to be enacted.
Drug trafficking was prohibited under the Drug Control Act. Trafficking offenders were fined up to one million dalasis and given jail terms of up to 10 years. Persons found in possession of illicit drugs without prescriptions were also fined and liable for jail terms of up to three years. The new mental health policy called for strengthened data collection mechanisms on drug abuse and the establishment of rehabilitation centres for drug users.
The acute kidney injury outbreak in 2022 had affected children aged from two months to seven years. A total of 82 cases had been reported, with 73 deaths. Investigations identified contaminated paediatric syrups made in India that led to kidney failure in affected children. The State party had conducted investigations to track cases. Regulations on importing medications had been strengthened and the community was being sensitised about the issue. A toxicology laboratory was also being constructed to prevent further cases.
The HIV prevalence rate in the Gambia was 1.39 per cent. The State party was working to expand testing and prevention services to achieve HIV reduction targets. A total of 109,000 people had been tested, with around 1,000 being found positive. Those found positive were enrolled in treatment programmes.
Questions by Committee Experts
HYND AYOUBI IDRISSI, Committee Expert and Coordinator of the Country Taskforce for the Gambia, asked how Koranic schools could be opened without being authorised by the State party. Were girls who were pregnant banned from attending school? Were cases of female genital mutilation that occurred abroad criminalised in the Gambia?
MIKIKO OTANI, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for the Gambia, said that three quarters of girls who were married dropped out of schools. Was there a system that supported girls in early marriages to continue their education? What was the length of the early childhood programme and from what age did it commence?
One Committee Expert asked about measures in place to combat advertising discouraging breast feeding in urban areas. How did funding for vulnerable families and other measures help to prevent girls from becoming involved in sex tourism? Was the Government promoting access to birth certificates for street children and children in Koranic schools? What measures were in place to prevent malaria and mother-child transmission of HIV? Was dialysis free for children?
SOPIO KILADZE, Committee Expert and Member of the Country Taskforce for the Gambia, asked if children who did not have birth certificates could access all State services? Was there a cash allowance for vulnerable children? What system was in place to coordinate the management of court cases involving children?
Other Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on how the State party was ensuring that children who were subjected to female genital mutilation were protected; whether the State party would look for alternative ways to support child victims of violence rather than remove them from their families; how children with mental illnesses were cared for in areas where there were no mental health services; and how many children were enrolled in education institutions not registered with the State, and whether the State party sought to close these schools.
ANN MARIE SKELTON, Committee Chair, said that the Committee discouraged dental methods of determining age, which were inaccurate and undignified. Was the State party considering alternative methods? Had the State party discussed whether adolescent pregnancies threatened the lives of girls and warranted abortions?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the placement of child victims of abuse in shelters was a temporary measure to ensure that the child was safe. Children spent no more than 24 hours in shelters before being reintegrated with their families or guardians.
The Gambia’s laws did not address acts of female genital mutilation occurring overseas. The State party was working to sensitise border officials to ensure that the prohibition of female genital mutilation was upheld. It would continue with interventions to protect children from harmful practices, in collaboration with civil society organizations. Previously, 90 per cent of girls were subjected to female genital mutilation, so much progress had been made.
Abortion was a criminal act unless the health of the mother was at risk. However, the State party noted the Committee’s concern regarding this issue. In cases of incest or rape, when the victim’s health was in danger, abortion was allowed.
The State party was working to increase awareness at all levels of the issue of sex trafficking in the tourism industry. Persons who facilitated child sex tourism were held to account when identified. The Committee’s concern regarding the age determination process for child victims was noted.
It was difficult to register some classes teaching the Koran that were established within individuals’ homes, but the Government was working to monitor the situation in unregistered schools and classes. Science subjects were introduced from the fourth grade in Koranic schools. The State sought to close schools that did not adhere to Government regulations. One school that had caught fire had recently been closed and its students transferred to another learning centre.
Sexual abuse in schools was prohibited and punished. Child marriages often occurred during holiday periods. There was a monitoring system in place to detect child marriages, which were reported to the police and child welfare services. In some cases, children were withdrawn from marriages and public servants took care of them until alternative care arrangements were found.
Children who did not have birth certificates could still be registered in early childhood education programmes and in the school of their choice. Every child was issued with an identification card at birth, which could be used to access services across the country.
The State party aimed to achieve zero malaria deaths this year and increase knowledge and practice of malaria prevention techniques. The number of recorded malaria cases had decreased significantly in recent years. Dialysis treatment was free for all Gambians. There were 14 dialysis machines placed in public hospitals. The State party focused on subsidising the provision of essential medicines, such as those required for surgeries.
The State party provided cash transfers to children in vulnerable families and children with disabilities. This support would continue.
Concluding Remarks
HYND AYOUBI IDRISSI, Committee Expert and Coordinator of the Country Taskforce for the Gambia, thanked the delegation for the constructive dialogue. The Committee had noted the State party’s challenges as well as its ambitions and openness. She called on the State party to remain ambitious and to continue the momentum it had gained in efforts to promote the rights of its children.
MUHAMMADOU M.O. KAH, Permanent Representative of the Gambia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said the dialogue had been very constructive. It aimed to create a better future for children, who represented the hope and future of the nation. The Committee’s observations reflected a genuine commitment to ensuring that no child was left behind. They provided valuable guidance as the State party strove to improve the lives of children across the Gambia. The State had taken significant steps to align policies and practices for children with the Convention and international standards. It sought to address the abuse of children, strengthen education for children, achieve gender parity in enrolment, and bridge gaps in access to education.
The Gambia’s national immunisation programmes had significantly reduced child mortality rates and nutrition programmes had helped to decrease stunting among children. Structures had been established to address child labour, child marriage, and trafficking. Platforms had been created to amplify the voices of children in policy formation processes, including the Children’s Parliament, which had spurred the Government to strengthen the provision of free education and recreation facilities, eliminate harmful practices, and provide the Parliament with a dedicated budget.
The State party was acutely aware of the challenges it faced. Limited access to resources and the socio-economic impact of global crises significantly impacted the State’s measures for children. Targeted interventions were needed to break the cycle of poverty. The State party was committed to eliminating harmful practices. Through a combination of awareness raising campaigns and community-based interventions, the State party would work to make children’s lives safer. The State also needed to act urgently to protect children from the effects of climate change. The Gambia appealed to international development partners to support the State in its endeavours by strengthening the capacity of the State’s institutions and data collection systems. It also called for increased capacity building programmes for persons who worked with children, and for international cooperation on policies for children.
The Gambia was unwaveringly committed to upholding the principles of the Convention. It would translate the recommendations of the Committee into meaningful actions to promote children’s rights.
ANN MARIE SKELTON, Committee Chair, said that the Committee asked questions in the spirit of wanting to improve the lives of children in the Gambia. It hoped that its recommendations would help to improve the lives of all children in the State.
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