Apr 9, 20212 min read

Gambia

Population size: 

2,347,710 [1]

Number of people experiencing domestic abuse each year:

Sample of 3,116 currently married women age (15 ~ 49 years) over 40% of women reported at least one form of IPV.[2]

No research on male victims or other gender identities.

Cost of domestic abuse to the economy each year:

No research.

Estimated % change due to COVID-19:

No research

Current law and policy:

The Gambia has committed to reducing the stigma surrounding domestic and gender-based violence reporting and begin the process of implementing more effective legislation.

Marital rape is not illegal. Domestic violence is a widespread issue, but is often unreported because of victims’ fear of reprisal, unequal power relationships, stigma, discrimination and pressure from their communities not to report. Domestic violence is culturally accepted, and there is a distinct lack of resources and an absence of regulations, guidelines and effective reporting mechanisms undermining the successful implementation of the Domestic Violence Act (2013). Further, the act does not provide a clear definition of domestic violence and allows for out-of-court settlements that don’t consider the woman’s best interests.

The government had implemented the Gambia National Plan of Action on Gender-based Violence (2013-17), supported by the UNICEF/UNFPA Joint programme. The objective was to reduce the number of women subject to gender-based violence from 75.5% to 30%. Whilst there does not appear to have been a follow-up plan, as a result of the fall of the Gambia’s dictator in 2017, a Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission has been established to address human rights violations, including domestic violence, committed during President Yahya Jammeh’s rule.

There is a lack of available statistical data to track the progress of The Gambia’s commitments to combatting domestic violence.

Public spending - 3.0% of GDP on violence containment (excluding individuals’ expenditures and indirect costs such as lost wages resulting from lower productivity or absenteeism.).[3] UNICEF have identified a cost of $760,840 which amounts to a gap $555,840 (= 73.1%).[4]

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