Background

Article 43 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (Charter/ACRWC) stipulates that State Parties shall submit their initial report two years after ratification and their periodic reports every three years thereafter. The Republic of The Gambia ratified the Charter on 30 March 2001; however, it has not yet submitted any report to the Committee. Building on its prior engagement with the Republic of Gambia for the submission of its report, the Committee conducted an advocacy mission to the Gambia to further engage in dialogue with the concerned Ministries of the State Party.

The Advocacy mission was held on 29 August – 01 September 2023. The Committee expresses appreciation to the Government of The Gambia for authorizing and ensuring the smooth undertaking of the mission.

Objective

The Advocacy Mission aimed at conducting constructive dialogue with the various Ministries tasked with the compilation and submission of State Party Reports, engaging children’s representatives and stakeholders such as the National Human Rights Commission, UN Agencies, and CSOs. The various engagements were geared towards identifying the main challenges the State Party is encountering in submitting its report; assessing the mechanisms and institutional set-ups available for the compilation and submission of the State Party report; providing guidance on the process, form, and content of State Party reports; and encouraging the Republic of The Gambia to express firm commitment and a clear timeline on the submission of its initial report to the Committee.