By: Lamin E. Fatty
The National Human Rights Commission of The Gambia recently held a forum on Business and Human Rights to among other things promote awareness and understanding of the impact of businesses on the enjoyment of human rights in The Gambia. The conference was the first of its kind in the history of The Gambia and it was graced by top officials of the Government ministries, business community, civil society and Human Rights bodies.
In his opening statement, the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Emmanuel Joof said this forum is in line with the Commission’s Strategic Objective 6, which requires the Commission to articulate a strong link between human rights and development as it seeks to explore the regulatory framework on mining, natural resource management, and environmental rights in The Gambia and to propose recommendations to address and resolve challenges.
The Commission had developed an Advisory Note recognizing that the right to a clean and healthy environment is an essential right that is linked to the survival and livelihood of individuals and this conference validated the content of the said document. Additionally, a Human Rights and Business Country Guide for The Gambia which would outline the roles and responsibilities of the State and business enterprises will be developed to serve as a guide in upholding and promoting environmental-friendly human rights in The Gambian context.
The event also highlighted the mandate of the Commission and its monitoring role regarding the impact of business on human rights and strengthening the capacities of partners on the guidelines and principles.
In seeking to deepen respect for a culture of human rights, the Commission, as envisaged in its Strategic Plan 2021-2025, seeks to support efforts directed at eradicating systemic abuses by business. Forums like these will promote collaborative efforts in this light. In recent years, there has been conflict between communities and business interests. In many instances, the landscape and natural resources of communities were tampered with without their engagement or participation. The forum gave opportunities to relevant institutions through panel discussions to elaborate on challenges and best practices to stem environmental destruction.