The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) PAPEV Project, recently exposed National Assembly Members to the minimum standards for childcare residential centres.
The orientation targeted members of the National Assembly select committees for gender, children and social welfare; human rights and constitutional matters and the members for health, disaster, humanitarian relief.
It was aimed at equipping them with the necessary tools to effectively address urgent issues faced by childcare residential centres in the country. This initiative reflects OHCHC’s growing commitment to strengthening child protection frameworks and improving the quality of care for vulnerable children in residential facilities.
The orientation is part of a broader effort to ensure that child care facilities in The Gambia adhere to national and international standards, including the 2012 Minimum Standards for Quality Care for Residential Child Care Facilities. These standards emphasised safeguarding children’s rights, promoting their well-being, and ensuring that residential care is only a temporary solution pending reintegration with families or foster care.
It also focused on understanding the legal and institutional frameworks that govern child protection and residential care in The Gambia, including the enforcement of laws against violence, abuse, discrimination, and harmful practices.
The orientation also exposed the NAMs to policies such as the Policy for Children in Residential Child Care Facilities, which sets standards for care homes.
The event highlighted poor hygiene, inadequate care, and abuse in some institutions.
Deputising for the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, Health Minister Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, said the orientation is aimed at ensuring that the National Assembly Members and other stakeholders are on top of issues when it comes to child welfare.
“The rules, regulations and laws are there but they need to be implemented and people need to understand them,” he said.
Minister Samateh said the government is committed to partnering with its international partners to garner the required support to ensure that safeguards are put in place and that people abide by them.
“We are also happy that there is an integration of the Daaras into the mainstream system that will enhance standardisation of educational method scheme, proper scrutiny, and inspections.”
He said the government will ensure health inspectors visit schools and Daaras regularly to ensure the wellbeing of children at all times.
NHRC Deputy Chairperson Jainaba Njum started her intervention with a reference to a recent outbreak of skin disease at a Brufut Daara leading to its closure.
She said the NHRC is contiguously committed to championing human rights especially the rights of children.
The NHRC rep acknowledged promoting collaboration with civil society organisations and international partners to enhance funding, training, and support for alternative care services and staff capacity building.
The Clerk of the National Assembly Kalipha Mbye expressed the parliament’s commitment through its committees to upholding the principles of transparency, accountability and people centered governance.
“These are principles that are essential in our collective efforts to protect and nurture the most vulnerable members of our society. Let us also seize this opportunity to also strengthen our understanding, deepen our commitment and also act decisively to ensure that every child in The Gambia grows in a safe and caring environment,” he added.
The UN Resident Coordinator Karl Frederick Paul called for stronger legislative accountability to uphold children’s rights.
“Ensuring the safety, wellbeing and empowerment of children is not only a matter of human rights, it is essential to achieving the sustainable development goals. Without the children, women, youth and anyone, we cannot attain the sustainable development goals and the National Assembly Members are the guarantors and also our inspiration to make this happen,” he added.
The forum is part of regional efforts to align national practices with international child protection standards.
It emphasises the importance of monitoring, inspection, and accreditation of childcare centres to ensure compliance with care standards and the protection of children’s rights.
It also aligns with ongoing initiatives in The Gambia to build a child-friendly justice system that guarantees equal protection for all children and enforces laws that safeguard them from violence and abuse. It also complements community-based programmes that focus on behavioural change communication to improve childcare practices and child welfare at the grassroots level. Overall, the orientation represents a vital step towards creating a more responsive and effective system for addressing the challenges faced by residential childcare centres, ensuring that children’s rights are respected and their needs met in a safe and nurturing environment.
