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Govt. admits human rights lessons it must learn
Wednesday, 04 May 2011 22:11
(Today) - The curator of interstate estate at the Ministry of Justice, Isatou Alwai Graham has said that The Gambia
government is “ready and willing to learn and adopt best practices available to improve significantly on its human rights record and to best protect the human rights of people”.Mrs. Graham, who deputized the attorney general and minister of Justice at the opening of the 49th Ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights last week, said government will continue to be committed to the cause of human rights protection.
Held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel, the programme brought together delegates from across the African continent including NGOs, human rights defenders and
advocates, journalists and observers to work in collaboration with the African Commission and its partners to further complement their efforts in promoting and protecting human rights, good governance and the rule of law in Africa.According to Mrs Graham, “The Gambia as a developing nation is ready to learn from its difficulties and challenges in promoting human rights, but we are also unwavering in our desire and commitment to keep the peace and stability we are known to have enjoyed,” she said.
In promoting peace and upholding religious freedom, she maintained that The Gambia strives to uphold its unrivaled religious tolerance and the government respects these rights.
Madam Graham also challenged the human right NGOs and advocates to work as “true promoters and protectors of human rights,” and to act responsibly in the way and manner they execute their functions/mandate and not to appear or be seen to make misleading and unsubstantiated claims of alleged human rights violations or statements founded on other ulterior motives.
“I am sure we all acknowledge the fact that human rights does not operate in the abstract but within the legal system of the state,” she said, noting that this forum of the African Commission is the right place to genuinely and frankly discuss issues of human and people's rights that are of concern to all in the continent.
She further went on to reaffirm The Gambia government's commitment to the work of the Commission.
Citing the conflicts in some African countries including Libya and Ivory Coast, Madam Graham said: “This underscores the need for a holistic approach to the sub-regional and regional dimension of these conflicts by broadening the scope of human rights to incorporate the fundamental rights and protection of marginalized groups.”
Speaking further, she explained that The Gambia government for its part is steadfast in the protection of 'solidarity rights' such as the right to development and peace and has adopted several policies and strategies aimed at alleviating poverty, the cumulative effect of its poverty framework reduction strategy, have strengthened the micro-economic framework through micro-credit policies favoring women and youth.
“The Gambia is aware that the need to accentuate and reinforce human rights development underscores parallel development with rural and urban development. With the support of its development partners, The Gambia has made significant progress in the areas of infrastructure development, roads, telecommunication, safe water, education, health care, rural electrification, through proportional physical infrastructure by geographical location,” she elucidated.
In order to make justice accessible to its citizen, she explained that The Gambia government in extending the democratization process has translated the policy by establishing the Agency for Legal Aid, Alternative Dispute Resolution Secretariat, Shelter for Victims of Trafficking in Person as well as the newly created Agency Against Trafficking in Persons.
For her part, the executive director of the African Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS) and the chairperson of the NGO Forum Steering Committee, Mrs. Hannah Forster harped on the recently concluded NGO forum that was held for three days prior to the commencement of this session of the commission.
According to her, it is not the intention of the forum to name and shame but a call to action in order to address potentially deteriorating observance of human rights, rule of law and democracy on the continent.
“We therefore request the African commission to express solidarity with all rights defenders, especially women human rights defenders, journalists, LGBTIs (lesbians, gay, bi-sexual, trans-gender and inter-sex) other marginalized groups living under extreme persecution and to urge states to abolish repressive laws and to ensure a conducive environment for the protection of all these groups in Africa,” she said.
The 49th Ordinary Session of the African Commission also coincided with the celebration of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.
Written by Mariam Saine
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