Contact Address Details:
UNHCR - Gambia
Website:
www.ungambia.gm/unhcr
Head Office
address
Kotu East
Telephone number:
4464307 (Kotu East refugee
counselling center)
4464169 (High Commissioner)
4460850
Fx: 4464169
See UN House at
Cape Point
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The country has ratified the:
Convention on 07 Sep 1966
Protocol
on 29 Sep 1967
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Information:
United
Nations High Commissioner For Refugees programme in the Gambia started
along with the rising civil
conflicts in West Africa.
The number of refugees has risen and
fallen over
the years, yet what did not change was the fact that the Gambia was
seen as an attractive alternative for people fleeing their country of
origin due to increasing conflict. In 2005
it received 7,330 refugees and 602
asylum-seekers with the vast number coming from Sierra Leone. UNHCR closed its liaison office
(LO) in December 2001 because of budget cuts, altered priorities, and
the desire to shift responsibility for the programme directly to the
implementing partners.
Following the closure of bureau in Gambia, BO
Dakar in Senegal assumed responsibility for management and oversight
of all activities related either to the protection of or assistance to
the refugee population in the Gambia. The supervision by BO Dakar was
said to allow for a more regional focus, harmonizing approaches and
procedures with countries hosting the same populations of refugees. 12
BO Dakar continued to work with the established “troika” of partner
organizations in the Gambia. The idea was to promote co-operation and
accountability as well as build capacity, without the high financial
costs associated with the presence of an in country office. This
framework was maintained until early 2003 when the decision to
reinstate LO Gambia was taken, resulting in LO Gambia being reopened
in May 2003.
Anglican Mission Development Ministry (AMDM) is a
faith-based organization implementing three projects: assistance to
Sierra Leonean refugees in Basse refugee camp; a Primary/Vocational
Education Programme: and an Urban Refugee Programme in
Banjul. Prior
to involvement with UNHCR, AMDM was involved in refugee-related issues
through their programme for the “church of the stranger”, which took a
holistic and advocacy approach on behalf of all uprooted people.
With its head office based in Banjul it
receives approximately 75% of its funding from UNHCR. The remaining
portion of funding comes from the World Council of Churches, a
consortium of churches known worldwide for focusing on helping
uprooted people.
In general, the Gambian Government has
adopted a policy whereby they allow for the refugees to enter the
country and wait for a durable solution to their plight. The 1951
Convention and the 1967 protocol and the 1969 OAU Convention govern
these practices.9 As a member state of the Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS)10, the Gambia abides by laws that grant
economic rights, or the right to work, to nationals of other ECOWAS
states. However, in order to move freely and work, refugees must
possess a residence permit. The law requiring work permits that
applies to the refugees is the same law that is applied to all
non-Gambians who seek employment in the Gambia.
The exact
number of refugees residing in the Gambia is not known. The main
reason is that the large urban population is largely unaccounted for.
Another reason is the permeability of the Gambia – Senegal border
(near the Casamance region) where thousands of asylum-seekers are said
to be living in fear of claiming refugee status. UNHCR estimates that
there are approximately 12,000 refugees living throughout the Gambia.7
Other sources give estimates ranging from 10,000 to over 30,000
persons. The refugee population consists of Sierra Leoneans who are
in the majority, Senegalese who are the second highest in number,
Liberians, Somalis, Ethiopians, Rwandans, Iraqis and Eritrean, the
latter five groups being a very small portion of the population. The
major influx of refugees began in 1982 with the rising conflicts in
West Africa, especially in the Casamance region. This area has been
the scene of clashes between the government and separatist rebels.
Fighting in Sierra Leone and most recently Liberia has also
significantly contributed to the rise in the refugee population.
The situation and sentiments of refugees, UNHCR and its implementing
partners suggest that the livelihood security of refugees living in
the Gambia is being threatened in both urban and rural refugee
settings. A shift in emphasis from care and maintenance to
self-reliance would make refugee livelihoods more secure. As the
Gambia abides by the Geneva Conventions and continues to pursue
durable solutions for the rising number of refugees, UNHCR has an
increased role to play in assisting them.
Source: UNHCR
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