Shape International

CRS, EU Disability-Inclusive pathways project Tackling Barriers Facing Children with Disabilities in Schools By Madi S. Njie Catholic Relief Services (CRS), in collaboration with GFD and with funding from the European Union, is implementing a 30-month disability-inclusive education project aimed at improving access, protection and participation of children with disabilities into mainstream schools in The Gambia. The project, “Disability Inclusive Pathways,” officially began on 1 March 2025 and will run until 30 September 2027. An important activity—a two-day “Parenting Without Violence” training—was held from 15–16 December 2025 at the Ocean Bay Hotel, bringing together leaders of the Gambia Federation of the Disabled (GFD) and affiliated Organisations of Persons with Disabilities. Speaking at the opening session, Ms. Safiatou Touray, CRS Senior Project Officer, said the initiative is being implemented in close partnership with GFD, whose input was critical at the design stag...

Farafenni, North Bank Region — 4 December 2025: The Gambia Federation of the Disabled (GFD) on Thursday convened its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Farafenni, bringing together leaders from 19 Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), board members and staff to review a year marked by major achievements, enduring financial constraints, and renewed calls for stronger national support. Held at Wallimann Hotel, the AGM showcased progress in employment, entrepreneurship, inclusive education and disaster preparedness, while also highlighting critical funding and capacity gaps affecting the Federation’s work. In his address, GFD Chairman His Worship Muhammed Krubally presented a comprehensive update on the Federation's work over the past year. Highlighting several significant achievements, Krubally emphasized the Federation’s efforts in promoting employment for persons with disabilities. A major accomplishment was securing a position for a person with a disability within th...

Video sources /Interviewers/ Video Editor: Fatou Bin Jatta and Sarata Barry - Members of Association of Mentally Health (AMDG), and Muhammad Touray- Association of Gambian Albinos (AGA) - The Gambia, and courtesy of the GFD, OPDs Info & News WhatsApp Group; Images on the picture below: From left: Kerewan Area Council Chairman, NBR Governor, His Worship Muhammed Krubally (GFD Chairman), Sainey Camara (GFD Executive Director) and the Master of Ceremony Farafenni, North Bank Region — The Gambia Federation of the Disabled (GFD) on Wednesday, 3rd December 2025, commemorated the International Day of Persons with Disabilities with a major regional gathering in Farafenni, bringing together government officials,  leaders, ccommunity civil society actors, and persons with disabilities to promote inclusion, dignity, and human rights.  The annual observance—proclaimed by the United Nations in 1992—aims to deepen global commitment to equality and highlight the contributions and challenges...

Gambians have been urged to take a frontline role in national and local budgeting processes to strengthen transparency and accountability. The call was renewed during a two-day training held on 27–28 November 2025, organised by The Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (TANGO) with support from the UNDP GREAT Project. Delivering one of his presentation on public participation in budget processes, Mr. Lamin Dibba, Executive Director of the Center for Budget and Macroeconomic Transparency (CBMT), said traditional consultation methods are “no longer enough,” urging citizens to actively influence priority-setting, monitor public expenditure and demand institutional accountability. “Budgeting must be owned by the people,” he stressed. A major highlight of the workshop was a presentation by Mr. John Charles Njie, Chairperson of the Access to Information Commission, who outlined the legal obligations of public bodies under the ATI Act. He said access to timely and accurate informati...

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/summerise-the-opening-ceremony-5KDl0jmkRbykRzzeVb_Cyw#0: Gambians Urged to Lead Budgeting for Transparency and Accountability During Tango Coordinated UNDP GREAT Project training for CSOs, Media and Community representives in The Gambia on 27 and 28 November 2025. Click on the above link for excerpt. Details will be provided asap

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has concluded a 10 days the Capacity Building training for Women and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the Electoral Processes under the theme: Strengthening Inclusive Participatory Elections in The Gambia. The training workshop funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was implemented through supports by the Gambia's Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), from 10 to 20 November 2025. The IEC Vice Chairman made the opening remakrs followed by Goodwill Message by UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in The Gambia, followed by Introduction & Training Objective by IEC Operations Officer; and Group Photo Presentations followed on the topics: Why Gender in Elections in form of Presentation & Discussion; The Electoral Processes; Inclusivity of Women & PWDs in Elections; and presentation on leadership & Communication Skills The UNDP nationwide Second Training on Gender & Disability Inclusion in Elec...

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare has officially inaugurated a fully furnished Secretariat for the National Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities (NACPWD), marking a major milestone in advancing disability rights and governance in The Gambia. The ceremony was held on Saturday, 15 November 2025, at the secretariat located at the National Rehabilitation Centre complex, former social welfare department compound, Marina Parade in Banjul. The new secretariat will serve as the administrative headquarters of the 17-member Council established under Section 8 of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2021. Its establishment is expected to significantly strengthen the Council’s operational capacity, visibility, and effectiveness in coordinating national disability policies. NACPWD Chairman, His Worship Magistrate Muhammed Krubally, welcomed the development, noting that a dedicated office and staff are essential for the Council to fulfill its mandate. “For the Council to ...

As Gambians, we are at a crossroads. Our nation is blessed with rich resources, a vibrant culture, and a resilient people. However, our politics is threatening to undermine these strengths. Personal attacks, character assassination, and divisive rhetoric have become all too common. It's time for our politicians to rise above these petty squabbles and work collectively towards achieving common objectives. The stakes are high, and our nation is watching. We have pressing issues to address: poverty, poor infrastructure, lack of access to quality education and healthcare, and more. Our farmers, fisherfolks, and workers deserve better lives. It's time for our politicians to focus on the people's plights and work towards solutions. The politics of character assassination only breeds anger, hatred, and division among our people. It's time for our politicians to nurture a culture of tolerance, respect, and understanding. We need leaders who will serve as role models, promotin...

Date: 24 November 2025 PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Seven-Day Nationwide Campaign Calls for Full Enforcement of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2021 The Gambia has concluded a seven-day nationwide popularisation and enforcement campaign on the implementation of the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Act, 2021, with calls for stronger compliance, improved awareness and collective national commitment to disability rights. The regional sensitisation sessions, held from 13–19 November 2025, covered all administrative regions of the country, including: Kanifing Municipality & Greater Banjul Area, West Coast Region, Lower River Region, Central River Region (North and South), North Bank Region, and Upper River Region. The engagements brought together representatives from Government ministries, Local Government authorities, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), civil society, and development partners. The initiative aimed to strengthen understanding of the PWD Act, ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...