The legal platform under the National Population Commission Secretariat embarked on a one-day capacity building with the members of the Judiciary on the SWEDD+ project supported by the World Bank in collaboration with UNFPA, African Union, WAHO and gender issues.
The main objective of the training workshop is to deepen judges’ understanding of the root causes, dynamics, and manifestations of GBV, including cultural, social, and legal dimensions.
Deputy Director National Population Commission Secretariat, Baboucarr Jatta, said gender equality is not just a distant idea, but a fundamental and inalienable human right which necessitates a critical appraisal of our societal norms, dismantling barriers that impede progress and the fostering of inclusive systems that promote fairness and equity for all.
He added that, the judiciary plays a crucial role in shaping legal outcomes and societal fabric, ensuring justice, upholding human rights, and safeguarding individual dignity.
Similarly, Anna Njie, President of Female Lawyers Association Gambia emphasized that various platforms were established in nine countries to strengthen the implementation of SWED at the national level. These platforms comprise sectors from various walks of life and are focused on fortifying the legal framework to safeguard women’s rights to health, education, and economic empowerment.
However, Justice Ebrima Jaiteh reviewed the purpose of the capacity building workshop for judges and magistrates on sexual and gender-based violence is to eliminate prejudice and preconditions from courtrooms. The goal is to enhance the skills and knowledge of judicial professionals in order to create a more inclusive, responsive, and equitable justice system that upholds the rights and dignity of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
“This training will enable and equip judges and magistrates to respond appropriately to cases by comprehending and actively addressing the barriers between the victim and justice, which includes a variety of social perception and pressures, also prevent more harm from coming to the victim by using their judicial power to oversight and ensure that investigations and prosecutions are legal, effective and appropriately apply punishment to the cases before them”, Jaiteh added.
