By Adama Makasuba
National Human Rights Commission mandated to protect and promote rights yesterday launched key documents including case management, data base, a website and its five-year strategic plan, held at the Mettzy Resort Hotel on Kotu. The launch seeks to popularise the documents tools.
The commission also reflected on its finished works since its inception in 2017, which included its stand on to providing advice on how to curb spread of coronavirus and guidance to authorities
Speaking at the launch, the commission’s chair Emmanuel Joof said: “the commission today will launch two important documents namely Gambia a beacon of democracy. The Gambia as a drafting of a human rights advocacy 1965 to 1994.”
“We have also provided advice and guidance to the executive were required especially on the modality to curb the spread of Covid-19 pandemic by using a human rights base approach to mitigate the impact on access to justice and its effects and the move vulnerable members of the society.
“We have been success in convincing the government to decongest the prison and the president did exercise his prerogative of mercy and prisoners – over hundred and twenty-five were released and we will continue to do so,” he added.
He described the launch of the website as “another very important document,” adding that “a study was conducted about sexual harassment in the work place [s]. It’s comprehensive study that was validated.”
He continued: “Again, these are issues that we need to talk about. They happened and everybody’s shy away from talking of it. It’s a taboo. But as a national human rights commission we have been mandated to raise awareness, education among all those things.”
He thanked the commission’s partners like the United Nations Development Programme and Office of High Commission on Human Rights for their support to the commission.
Representing the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Yvonne Masarakufa commended the commission for displaying a diligent performance in a short period of time.
“But in this period, we have already witnessed the commission grow in performing its duty in a diligent manner,” she said.
She said the rights commission has contributed to the review of pertaining legislations, policy and human rights education.
