The Gambia
The Gambia adopted its first National Action Plan (NAP) in 2012, but the NAP does not identify a specific period of implementation. The development of the NAP involved reviewing existing literature on UNSCR 1325, the Gambia’s National Gender and Women’s Empowerment Policy 2010-2020, other laws, conventions, bills and policies that affect the rights of women and girls internationally and nationally. The NAP has three overarching goals: to ensure greater respect for women’s right to participation in the decision-making processes on equal footing with men; to eliminate discrimination against women and to end SGBV perpetrated against women; and to involve women in the security sector, conflict resolution mechanisms and peace processes, including peacekeeping operations. Each goal has corresponding actions, outputs, and indicators as well as an allocated budget.
Gambia reported on the implementation of its NAP in its national reporting for Beijing+25 and in preparation for CSW64 (2020). Specifically, the country indicated the development of a second NAP, which will have the following priorities (p. 27):
- Sensitization on and popularization of women’s human rights and promotion of peace, including UNSCR 1325 and related resolutions targeting decision makers; various sectors; women and men at all levels; educational and academic institutions as well as opinion, religious and traditional leaders, and other stakeholders to appreciate gender equality and to know what provisions are available;
- Capacity strengthening of partner organisations on gender, women, peace and security to systematically build the foundation of the ripple down effect need to reach a broader constituency of the population and to enhance strategic partnerships;
- Strengthening the early warning mechanism to avoid internal conflict;
- Implement the recommendations of research directed at enhancing participation and representation of women;
- Exchange visits with neighbouring countries to enhance partnerships, learning and sharing on good practices.
The Gambia gained independence in 1965 from the United Kingdom, after decades of colonial rule under the British empire. In 1981, Gambia experienced a failed coup attempt, while another coup attempt in 1994 led to the overthrow of the government and subsequent military rule until 1996. Political instability in the country continued throughout the 2000s, with failed coup attempts in 2000, 2006, and 2014. The country underwent a state of emergency following its 2016 elections, with the refusal of the then president Yahya Jammeh to concede power, and returned to normalcy after international intervention, specifically through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Women were disproportionately impacted by the 22-year rule under president Yahya Jammeh, which was marked by widespread human rights violations. Specifically, women human rights defenders were threatened for any possible critique of the government, while women and girls were deliberately targeted with sexual and gender-based violence.
CEDAW
1993
Global Gender Gap Index 2020
136 out of 153
Arms Trade Treaty not Ratified
Military expenditure (2019)
$14.1 million USD
Explore The Gambia's National Action Plan
NAP Development
WILPF does not have a country section in Gambia and therefore was not involved in the development process of Gambia's NAP.
This National Action Plan was developed in different phases. The first phase consisted of consultations and discussions, which were carried out with major stakeholders both at policy level and operational levels. The action plan was then validated at a meeting attended by government institutions and civil society organizations dealing directly or indirectly with women, peace and security issues.
NAP Implementation
Civil Society is tasked with partial ownership of certain objectives and activities without specifying which organizations are responsible for what. The GOTG has created a conducive atmosphere within which CSOs working on women, peace and security have effectively operated by putting in place the necessary legislations. These organizations include a local Office of WANEP for advocacy and monitoring with a view to reducing the proliferation of Small Arms in West Africa. Organizations such as the Female Lawyers Association of The Gambia and GAMCOTRAP offer legal counseling and other services to women on a variety of matters relating to their statutory rights, gender violence, family maintenance and child custody.
For instance, under Pillar 1 Participation, Strategic Issue 1. "Developing national programmes that promote peace and women’s rights", CSOs are tasked with the ownership of "sensitising decisionmakers and opinion leaders and stakeholders to appreciate women’s rights generally and gender-equality" together with the Ministry of Women's Affairs and Women's Bureau.
The implementation of the NAP is the responsibility of all the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the GOTG. However, the primary driver of the action rests with the OVP/MOWA and its implementation arm, the Women’s Bureau.
NAP Monitoring and Evaluation
Civil Society is said to be part of a national steering committee or an observatory through which coordination, partnerships, and strategic linkages will not only be further cemented for all stakeholders including civil society organization, private sector, UN Agencies and donors, but also reporting guidelines will be developed and mechanisms adopted to evaluate and measure the results and impact of the action plan.
The NAP states that a national steering committee or an observatory will be created through which coordination, partnerships, and strategic linkages will be further cemented for all stakeholders including civil society organization, private sector, UN Agencies and donors.
There is no mention on the implementation period for the Gambia National Action Plan.
The main goals of The Gambia NAP are:
- To ensure greater respect for women’s right to participation in the decision-making processes on equal footing with men.
- To eliminate discrimination against women and to end SGBV perpetrated against women.
- To involve women in the security sector, conflict resolution mechanisms and peace processes, including peacekeeping operations.
Each pillar has its strategic issues, and each strategic issue has different actions or key focus area. For instance, regarding Pillar 1 “Prevention”, the first strategic issue refers to “Developing national programmes that promote peace and women’s rights” and it sets different actions in order to achieve that:
- Carry out a national consultation on women , peace and security;
- Develop gender based policy on peace and women’s rights;
- Review, revise, and harmonise all gender blind laws, policies, and systems to make them conform to CEDAW and other relevant international and regional, human rights treaties;
- Sensitise decision makers and opinion leaders and stakeholders to appreciate women’s rights generally and gender-equality;
- Develop gender-based peace programmes and identify and train gender partners for peace at the national level;
- Establish focal points on women peace and security at Ministries, departments, agencies, LGAs, PEs & Security and Law Enforcement Agencies.
Each pillar has a key area focus within its strategic issue. Each strategic issue has both the output and the indicator. For instance, in Pillar 3 “Participation”, Strategic issue 1 “1. Adopting affirmative measures that will ensure equitable representation and participation of women at all decision-making levels” has the following key focus area, “1.1. Develop a national framework (laws, policies etc.) that will increase the number of women appointed to all decisionmaking levels”, which indicator is the number of mechanisms created.
The implementation of the GNAP is the responsibility of all the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the GOTG. However, the primary driver of the action rests with the OVP/MOWA and its implementation arm, Women’s Bureau. It is envisaged that a national steering committee or an observatory will be created through which coordination, partnerships, and strategic linkages will not only be further cemented for all stakeholders including civil society organization, private sector, UN Agencies and donors, but also reporting guidelines will be developed and mechanisms adopted to evaluate and measure the results and impact of the action plan.
The Gambia National Action Plan includes an allocated budget for each strategic issue in the key area focus for each pillar. However, there is no mention on actions that formulate fundraising strategies, or what accountability mechanisms will ensure funding is raised and used in implementing the NAP.
The GNAP references implementing all measures related to women, peace, and security which includes the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons and Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials. They also briefly address the need to support civil society to stop the proliferation of small arms in Africa but do not note any specific actions to be taken.