Banjul, 5 February 2018
The Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA) is organizing a three-day human rights training workshop for Gambia Immigration Department (GID).
The workshop that runs from 5-7 February 2018 brings together 35 officers from various parts of the country.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Director-General of the GID, Buba Sanyang, said, “Capacity-building in human rights is part of the strategies in the ongoing reforms in The Gambia’s security sector…as the respect for human rights is indispensable for the achievement of development in the country”.
On his part, IHRDA Executive Director, Gaye Sowe, recalled that a few officers of the GID 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. He therefore commended the GID 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 GID as provided for by Gambian law and international law, notably the Gambia’s regional and international human rights obligations; powers of the GID; national security 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 GID.
This project is supported by the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives of the Canadian Embassy, Senegal.
