By Mariama Marong
The Female Lawyers Association of The Gambia (FLAG) over the weekend engaged women and community members in Bwiam, West Coast Region, on their legal rights and responsibilities as part of its ongoing nationwide sensitization drive to enhance access to justice for women and children.
The outreach, conducted through FLAG’s mobile legal clinic, aims to educate and empower women and girls to understand the laws protecting their rights in areas such as gender-based violence, inheritance, property rights, and access to justice.
Speaking at the event, FLAG President, Miss Anna Njie, commended the strong turnout and community participation, noting that such engagements are essential in bridging the justice gap for vulnerable groups.
“The main purpose of our legal mobile clinic is to educate and inform women and girls about the laws in The Gambia that protect their rights—especially regarding gender-based violence, inheritance, property rights, and access to justice,” Miss Njie said.
She highlighted the growing cases of violence against women and children, particularly sexual violence, as a serious national concern.
“It is important for communities to know what rights protect them. Conducting nationwide sensitization is crucial to ensure women and children are aware and can seek redress when their rights are violated,” she stressed.
Miss Njie explained that community engagement is a cornerstone of FLAG’s third mandate, which focuses on supporting vulnerable women and children through public education and free legal advice.
She added that the mobile legal clinics offer psychosocial support, awareness creation, and guidance on various legal issues, including family law, child custody and maintenance, marriage, and divorce.
“Women’s empowerment is central to our values. As an association, we advocate for women and children’s rights and strive to make justice accessible to all. We know legal fees are expensive, which is why we are taking the law to the communities,” she said.
Miss Njie reaffirmed FLAG’s commitment to extending the sensitization campaign to all regions of the country, creating spaces for women to share experiences and learn from one another.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Mass emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy relationship between women and society and spoke extensively about the harmful effects of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on women and girls, describing it as a practice that causes lifelong complications.
The engagement formed part of FLAG’s sustained effort to promote legal awareness, protect women’s rights, and foster community dialogue on critical issues affecting women and children across The Gambia.
