By Aminata S Kuyateh
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare in partnership with the Gambia Federation of the Disabled and the National Disability Advisory Council recently concluded series of sensitization activities for persons with disabilities and stakeholders at community level on the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and Persons with Disabilities Act 2021.
The sensitization activities were supported by UNICEF, and held in the following regions; North Bank, Lower River, Central River, Upper River, West Coast and Kanifing Municipality.
The activities in all these regions were well attended by stakeholders at community level and persons with disabilities.
Speaking at Farafenni and Janjangbureh, Sainey Camara, representative from the Gambia Federation for the Disabled, said CEDAW was adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, and is often described as an international bill of rights for women, consisting of a preamble and 30 articles.
“The Convention defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national and international action to end such discrimination,” he stated. He revealed that the Gambia ratified CEDAW in 1993.
He further said that CEDAW is important because is the first instrument that explicitly recognizes the structural conditions of disadvantage for women, considering the various forms of discrimination that they experience on a daily basis, and establishing public policy parameters to combat them. He highlighted on the domestication of the CEDAW and what is the impact to date, these include Women’s Act 2010, National Gender Policy 2010 to 2020, Domestic Violence Act 2013, and Sexual Offences Act 2013.
On his part, the former Director of Social Welfare Jankoba Jabbie said the Persons with Disabilities Bill was tabled during the 2nd Ordinary Session of the National Assembly in July 2020, and in July 2021, the Bill was passed and was subsequently assented into law.
He pointed out that now, an Act which provides for healthcare, social support, accessibility, rehabilitation education and vocational training, communication, employment and work protection and promotion of basic rights for persons with Disabilities.
He further stated the principles and obligations for realization of the rights of persons with Disabilities, which includes; Respect for inherent dignity, Non-discrimination, full and effective participation, equality of opportunity and accessibility among others.
He emphasized on accessibility to allow persons with disabilities to have access directly or indirectly to benefit public social services in all spheres of society and it includes access to information, communication, and physical environment such as tactile and sign language, (interpretation for the deaf blind persons and the deaf hard of hearing).
He also highlighted the obligations of the government of The Gambia, on the duty to protect, promote and fulfilled, hence the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2015 and its domestication in 2021.
The Chairperson of Kukunta Mento Organization of Persons with Disabilities in CRR North, Tata Camara, expressed gratitude towards the laudable gesture, saying that this will go a long way in improving their awareness on the persons with disabilities law.
He further highlighted the constraints they are facing especially at public places. He appealed for more advocacy programs for persons with disabilities so that the disabilities law can be well assimilated by all.
