By Kebba Jeffang
Stakeholders, including lawyers, law enforcement personnel, office of the Ombudsman and the media, after two days of review,
have validated the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Bill at a local hotel in Senegambia on Thursday, August 18, 2016.
Speaking earlier on Wednesday, 17 August, Madam Mama Fatima Singhateh, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, described human rights as rights of everybody and is beyond government affairs alone. She said the object of the draft bill is to ensure the establishment of a Human Rights Commission in the Gambia. She said the validation is organized by her ministry in partnership with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Madam Ade Mamonyane Lekoeje, UNDP Resident Representative in the Gambia, also described the validation of the NHRC bill as timely. She said this is bringing the Gambia closer to achieving its aspirations in ensuring the protection and promotion of human rights.
During the exercise, stakeholders from different backgrounds made some observations on the draft bill to ensure the inclusion of necessary provisions and removal of irrelevant clauses.
However, after the validation exercise, the draft bill will now be sent to the attorney general who would then take it to cabinet for final approval before taking it to the National Assembly for enactment.
