By Olimatou Coker
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) convened a day-long multi-stakeholder roundtable conference on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)-Compliant Budgeting Guidelines.
The conference, held at the Senegambia Beach Hotel, brought together government institutions, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), civil society, development partners, and technical experts to discuss the implementation of the guidelines.
It was envisaged to disseminate the CRPD-Compliant Budgeting Guidelines to stakeholders and promote their implementation.
The conference provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss the importance of inclusive budgeting and the role of government institutions, OPDs, and civil society in promoting disability rights.
It also encouraged government institutions to adopt a rights-based approach to budgeting, ensuring that public resources are used to advance the full enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities.
Emmanuel Daniel Joof, NHRC Chairperson highlighted the importance of institutionalising CRPD-compliant budgeting in The Gambia. He called for a clear roadmap and concrete recommendations to make the budgeting process inclusive and rights-based.
Lamin Camara, UNFPA deputy country representative stressed that the CRPD-Compliant Budgeting Guidelines provide a clear methodology for integrating disability perspectives into budget cycles, ensuring that resources support the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
Magistrate Muhammed Krubally, Federation for Disabled chairperson urged the government to consider the needs of persons with disabilities in their budgeting process, citing the Persons with Disabilities Act 2021 and the CRPD.
The conference highlighted the need for inclusive budgeting that takes into account the needs of persons with disabilities.
The CRPD budgeting guidelines provide a practical framework for integrating disability perspectives into every stage of the budget cycle.
Stakeholders at the conference called on the government to adopt the CRPD-Compliant Budgeting Guidelines and make them a default approach for all planning, ensuring that public resources are used to advance the full enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities.
