Gambia: Government ratifies Protocols on Women's Rights

The Gambia has now ratified Articles 5,6,7 and 14 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. Article 5 of the Protocol deals with the elimination of harmful practices against women; Article 6 deals with marriage; Article 7 deals with divorce and property while Article 14 deals with abortion. All were ratified by The Gambia without reservations. The AU conventions on women and other UN protocols and conventions on women and the girl-child all call for the full ratification of these international instruments. This decision by the parliament strengthens Secretary of State Sheikh Tijan Hydara's point of stating that The Gambia has been and will continue to be an active, responsible and dependable member of the international order, when tabling the instruments for ratification before the National Assembly.