As part of its efforts to promote human rights education and training in the country, Beakanyang, a local organization recently launched a human rights club at Kotu Senior Secondary School.
In his welcome address, Mr. Lamin AK Sanyang, Principal of Kotu Senior Secondary School thanked Beakanyang for chosen his school to benefit from its human rights education programme.
He assured the organization of his administration’s commitment to helping the club become vibrantIn his keynote address, Mr. Nfamara Jawneh, Executive Director of Beakanyang said since the initiation of the human rights education program in schools in 2017, they have successfully established forty seven clubs and chapters nationwide.
“The idea of establishing human rights clubs in schools and communities is to ensuing sustainability and greater impact of our human rights education programme, promote human rights education and training as well as to build a culture of human rights in country,” he said.
The programme was initially supported by the US Embassy and Youth for Human Rights International.
“Hundreds of human rights education materials such as the copies of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) booklets, History of Human Rights, CDs and Teacher Manuals were distributed to the clubs,” he noted.
He added: “Our goal is to reach out to all schools and villages in the country by 2030. We know this is a huge task but at the same time its import for us to spread human rights education across the country”.
He noted: “You will agree with me that after experiencing 22 years of dictatorship, Gambians are increasingly becoming more and more interested in knowing and defending their human rights.”
According to him, human rights education and training will no doubt help people to know, defend and ultimately enjoy their fundamental human rights.
Mr. Jawneh further revealed that with their human rights clubs they are inspiring and nurturing a cohort of young human rights defenders and advocates in Gambia while promoting social cohesion, peace and respect for diversity.
“In order for us not to allow our country to fall back to dictatorship, its absolutely necessary to invest more in human rights education and training,” he stressed.
According to him, human rights are standards that allow all people to live in dignity, freedom, equality, justice, and peace.
Human rights education in school is an effective means to assist children to incorporate human rights values into their attitudes and behaviors thus helping them to become responsible citizens.
Through our human rights education programme, we are helping children and young people in general to learn and understand more about their rights and the rights of others around them.
“Through our clubs and with the help of our teacher coordinators, students who are part of the clubs are learning more about UDHR, Harmful Traditional Practices such as Child Married, FGM/C and SRHR,”he said.
According to Jawneh, Education in human rights is itself a fundamental human right and also a responsibility.
Integral to learning about one’s human rights is learning about the responsibilities that accompany all rights.
The responsibilities of all citizens in a democratic society are inseparable from the responsibility to promote human rights.
I would like to use this opportunity to once again call for more investment and attention to be given to human rights education and training in the country by the government and development partners.
“As young people you must believe in human rights, advocate for respect for human rights and serve as agents of peace and tolerance,” he noted.
Beakanyang ED further stated that there cannot be sustainable peace and development in the country if peoples’ rights are not respected or if they don’t know their rights in first place.
The only way to advance social justice, human dignity and respect for human rights is by committing more resources to human rights education.
Mr. Ousman Bah, Regional Education Director for region one representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education lauded the partnership between his ministry and Beakanyang.
“Our doors are always open and we will continue to create the needed enabling environment for your human rights promotion and education program.
This initiative establishing School based human rights clubs will further enhance human rights in Schools.
Mr. Bah further enjoined the students to “read and work hard to know their rights but incognizant of your responsibilities so that you become good citizens who live peacefully in the Gambia and any other part of the world”.
Mr. Ismaila Badgie, Programs Manager of the National Youth Council commended Beakanyang for the good work they continue to do but more so human rights promotion and education.
“NYC is fully committed to the promotion of the welfare of young people and that include their rights. Therefore, on behalf of the Executive Director, you can always count on us for continue you,” he said.
Mrs. Isatou Jah, Director of Communication at National Human Rights Commission disclosed that plans are underway to include human rights issues in the new curriculum for schools in the country.
“The idea to establish school-based human rights clubs will further enhance human rights promotion in the country and thus building respect for human rights culture in The Gambia,” she added.
Speaking earlier, Dr. Lobna Hassan, Regional Director of Munazamat Al-dawa Al-Isamia thanked Beakanyang for the club.
She pledged her office’s support to the club now that its officially launched. “I can promise you this club will receive my support to ensure it lives to task. We are a school that respect human rights and will continue to do that. I encourage the students to work harder and make sure there is increased awareness about human rights,” she said.