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Gambian women's rights activists lament plight of female prisoners
Saturday, 06 November 2010 16:51
PANA - The chair of the Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the
Health of Women and Children (GAMCOTRAP), Dr. Isatou Touray, who was granted bail early in the week, Friday lamented the plight of several women, who she said 'are suffering rights violation at the state Central Prison, Mile II,' PANA reported from here.Touray made the disclosure at the opening of a meeting of an international coalition of women rights defenders across Africa, Asia and Latin America in Banjul, The Gambia, meant to provide African women rights defenders the opportunity to meet with Commissioners of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and also direct testimonies on the challenges posed to them as women rights defenders in Africa.
Sharing her nine-day experience behind bars, where she was detained in company of Amie Bojang Sissoho, the secretary of the GAMCOTRAP, Touray said 'these women, with whom I interacted while in detention and heard their testimonies, need help because they are suffering from violations of their rights with impunity.'
Touray, who is also the secretary general of the Inter-Africa Committee, present in 38 countries, said she and her secretary had not committed any crimes as human rights defenders. 'We are standing in for the voiceless,' and wondered 'is it because we are fighting for the rights of the voiceless' that we were being persecuted?
She said states did not put in place effective mechanism for them to be monitored for accountability, noting that GAMCOTRAP, as a women rights organization working on sexual and reproductive health rights of women and the girl-child, gender-based violence and in particular, female genital mutilation, early marriage, among other things affecting the health of women, was working towards holding the government accountable as it had issued alternative reports in the past.
Speaking earlier, Mr. Clement Voule of the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), said women human rights defenders should be protected and respected in all means as they are faced with many threats in their various countries.
The Banjul meeting was organized by the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition, in cooperation with the International Service of Human Rights (ISHR), Conectas Directos Humanos, African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS), East Horn of African Human Rights Defenders Network and West Africa Human Rights Defenders Network.
The meeting precedes an NGO Forum that will be held in Banjul 7-9 November and the 48th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (10-24 November), in which a resolution on the situation of women human rights defenders is expected to be passed.
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Comments
Thank you Dr.Touray for lamenting on the plight of Gambian Women. Continue the good work.
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