The vice president of The Gambia, Ousainou Darboe, has called on political leaders and key stakeholders to ensure that the principles contained in Africa’s chief human rights protection mechanism are “fully realized”.
The trained lawyer and a politician made the remarks as he opened the continent’s biggest human rights forum in Banjul at the Sheraton Hotel on Tuesday.
The 63rd session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, a one week event underway in Banjul, coincided with the marking the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“…More needs to be done to ensure that the principles enshrined in the African Charter are fully realized throughout the continent… It is a battle that we Africans must win for our people,” Darboe said.
The country number 2 said Gambia has made stead progress in the protection of human rights of her citizens since the fall of the former ruler Yahya Jammeh.
He recounted several government initiatives including the constitutional review process that is ongoing, the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission that is also launched, and the signing of several international human rights instruments such as the Convention against torture and degrading treatment
“In February this year, President Adama Barrow declared a moratorium on applications of the death penalty in The Gambia as a step towards its abolition…,” he said.