Banjul, 20 February 2018
The Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA) is organizing a three-day human rights training workshop for the Drug Law Enforcement Agency of The Gambia (DLEAG).
The workshop runs from 20-22 February 2018 and brings together 35 officers from various parts of the country.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Director-General of the DLEAG, Alhadji Bakary Gassama, said, “The promotion of human rights is a key pillar in the political dispensation of The Gambia…and this training is in line with DLEAG 2018 strategy and the strategy of the Ministry of Interior”. Alhadji Gassama added that the Drug Control Act of The Gambia is currently under review, a key aspect of which is to provide for better treatment of persons in conflict with the law.
On her part, IHRDA Head of Finance and Administration, Amie Njie, speaking on behalf of the Executive Director, recalled that a few officers of the DLEAG had benefited from the initial phase of the human rights capacity-building program for Gambia public security agencies that ran from October 2015 to March 2016, and noted that the demand for this training was triggered by the outcomes of the 2015-2016 phase of the program. She therefore commended the DLEAG for the goodwill and interest they have shown in strengthening the human rights culture within the corps.
Discussions during this workshop will cover important issues related to the services of the DLEAG as provided for by Gambian law and international law, notably the Gambia’s regional and international human rights obligations; drug law enforcement and human rights; the right to personal liberty; arrest, search procedures, and the right to privacy; dealing with non-nationals in conflict with the law; torture; rights of detainees; dealing with women and children.
In addition to this training, IHRDA will develop a human rights manual for the DLEAG.
This project is supported by the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives of the Canadian Embassy, Senegal.
