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Officials Renew Push for Enforcement of Gambia’s 2021 Disability Act

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Government officials and disability-rights advocates have renewed calls for strict enforcement of The Gambia’s Persons with Disabilities Act, 2021, as nationwide sensitisation sessions begin across the regions. The engagements—led by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare and the National Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities (NACPWD)—kicked off on 13 November at the GOVI Resource Centre in Kanifing, and continued the following day in Brikama. Sessions in the remaining regions begin Monday, 17 November. His Worship Muhammed Krubally, Chairman of the Advisory Council and the country’s only visually impaired magistrate, said the sensitisation is funded through the National Disability Fund, as required under the Act. He urged institutions and communities to comply fully with the law. Enforcement Now Active Principal Social Welfare Officer Modou Suwareh reminded participants that the Act’s two-year transition period ended between 2023 and 2024, activating full enfo...
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Disability Council Chairman Highlights Legal Framework and Core Principles of Inclusion

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The Chairman of both the Gambia Federation of the Disabled (GFD) and the National Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities (NACPWD) has underscored the significance of The Gambia’s disability legislation and the core principles guiding disability inclusion during a sensitisation session held at Saama Kairo Foundation Hall in Brikama Kabafita, West Coast as part of the Council's regional sensetisation on the implementation of the Person with Disabilities Act, 2021. Speaking at the event on 14 November 2025, Chairman Krubally said the activity was organised by the National Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities established under the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2021, a law that provides the legal foundation for promoting, protecting, and monitoring the rights of persons with disabilities in the country. He noted that while the Act is not itself a disability policy, it creates a specialised body composed of representatives mandated to oversee the implementation of th...
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Stakeholders Review Progress on Disability Act Implementation

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Stakeholders from the disability community, representing various organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) and government ministries, on Thursday gathered at the Gambia Organisation for the Visually Impaired (GOVI) Resource Centre in Kanifing for a sensitisation meeting on the implementation and enforcement of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2021. The event, jointly organised by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare and the National Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities (NACPWD), aimed to update participants on progress made in enforcing the Act and to discuss challenges encountered since its enactment. Speaking at the opening, Mr. Modou Suwareh, Principal Social Welfare Officer representing the Ministry, said the forum was convened to engage stakeholders on practical measures taken to implement the Disability Act. He reminded participants that the Ministry serves as the custodian of the Act and is responsible for coordinating and supervising its imp...
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GOVI Marks White Cane Safety Day to Promote Inclusion of the Visually Impaired

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Jarra Soma, Lower River Region (LRR) – November 6, 2025: The Gambia Organisation of the Visually Impaired (GOVI) has commemorated this year’s World White Cane Safety Day with a call for greater inclusion and respect for the rights of persons who are visually impaired in all sectors of society. The annual observance, officially marked globally on October 15, was celebrated by GOVI in Jarra Soma, Lower River Region, on November 6 due to resource and logistical challenges. The event brought together local authorities, community leaders, women’s groups, students, and representatives from all ten GOVI branches across the country. In an interview with Mr. Lamin Colley, Executive Director of GOVI, described the white cane as a “symbol of independence, pride, and dignity” for visually impaired persons. He explained that World White Cane Day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness about the independence and safety of cane users, and to remind motorists, pedes...
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GOVI Leading the Fight for Inclusion of the Visually Impaired in The Gambia

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The Gambia Organisation of the Visually Impaired (GOVI) is championing the rights, education, and empowerment of persons with visual impairments across the country. Founded in 1991 through the merger of the Gambia Society for the Blind and the Gambia Association of the Blind, GOVI has since grown into a nationwide network run entirely by visually impaired Gambians themselves. “We are a national organisation with ten branches across the country and over 2,000 registered members,” said Lamin Colley, Executive Director of GOVI. “We also support more than 600 children who are beneficiaries of our programs.” At the heart of GOVI’s work lies education and rehabilitation. The organisation operates the only special school for the blind in The Gambia, located in Kanifing. The school caters to children from nursery through grade six before integrating them into mainstream education with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education. “Currently, we have over 50 students enrolled. Education i...
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Government, UNDP and Partners Reaffirm Commitment to Peace and Reconciliation Efforts

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9 October 2025: The Gambia Government officials, United Nations agencies, and civil society partners have reaffirmed their commitment to consolidating peace and national reconciliation during the third-quarter (Q3) Technical Committee meeting of the Infrastructure for Peace (I4P) Project, held at the Ocean Bay Hotel in Cape Point, Bakau.. Mr. Baboucarr Trawally, Project Manager at ITC chaired the meeting, which brought together representatives from the Ministry of Interior, UNDP, the UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), and other stakeholders from the civil society organisations, including the Gambia Federation of the Disabled (GFD) to review project progress, challenges, and priorities for the final quarter of the year. In his opening remarks, Mr. Trawally said the gathering was aimed at sharing updates on the achievements of the I4P project and aligning strategies to strengthen social cohesion and stability across the country. Speaking on behalf of UNDP, Mr. Jira Mansare commended the Gov...
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Gambia’s Interior Ministry Reaffirms Commitment to Peace and Reconciliation through I4P Project

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Photo Source: Mr Baboucar Trawally, ITC Project Manager: Deputy PS Lamin Gassama highlights progress on peacebuilding and TRRC reforms at I4P Technical Committee meeting in Bakau. Tags: #GambiaPeace #UNDP #TRRC #PeaceAndReconciliation #Governance #InteriorMinistry #I4P Cape Point, BAKAU, The Gambia — October 9, 2025: Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Interior, Lamin Gassama, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to peacebuilding and reconciliation during the Infrastructure for Peace (I4P) Technical Committee meeting held at Ocean Bay Hotel, Bakau. The meeting, organised with support from UNDP, brought together members of the Technical Working Group and key stakeholders to review project achievements for the third quarter and outline upcoming activities for Q4 2025. “Our collective presence here reflects a shared commitment to building a sustainable peace infrastructure in The Gambia,” Gassama said. He commended UNDP and the UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) for their conti...
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