In 2019, a group of seven women activists formed the Women’s Association for Women and Victims’ Empowerment (WAVE-Gambia). These women have been involved from the outset in the transitional justice process in The Gambia, with four of the women themselves being direct victims of human rights violations.
During the regime of former President Yahya Jammeh, women victims were subjected to many acts of human rights violations and abuses. In this present day, many bear the brunt of those violations, yet continue to suffer in silence. They are in need for interventions to address their plight.
WAVE’s work in the area of transitional justice is to promote and support the participation of women to become agents of change in matters of importance to them and in their journey for healing, reconciliation, reparations, accountability and justice. There also exists a real need to address aspects relating to gender equality, women’s empowerment and promotion of the rights and freedoms of women and girls for the advancement of peace, development as well as realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
From extensive discussions with women, particularly victims, barriers and gaps to their meaningful, sustained and substantive participation in the public sphere were identified as was the necessity to engage in specific gender-oriented programs and advocacy to ensure that their informed views and opinions are considered with the weight they should be.
Since starting its operations in January 2020, WAVE has built a strong network of women, the majority of them victims of violations and abuses, and has strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, enhancing collaboration in the pursuance of our common agenda.
WAVE has organised and led outreach and awareness raising programs, women’s focus group consultations and documentation of human rights violations and abuses of women and children as well as their needs for psychological, medical and economic support. Similarly, members have been instrumental in crowd funding to support some victims meet some of their day-to-day needs.
Core members have participated in training programs organised by Amnesty International (Netherlands), United Nations bodies and other international organisations to enhance their skills and capacity to properly monitor, document and report on human rights violations in The Gambia.
WAVE supports women and other vulnerable groups and seeks to promote the meaningful, sustained and substantive participation of women in the public sphere and in transitional justice processes for the realisation of healing, reconciliation, reparations and accountability. We are versatile in our approach but remain true to victims’ empowerment. Women are supported with different resources to make them agents of change in matters that are of importance to them.
Under the 22-year rule of Yahya Jammeh, former president of The Gambia (from 1994-2016) who took over the country following a coup, The Gambia witnessed unprecedented human rights violations and abuses against women, men, boys and girls. These included extrajudicial killings, disappearances, sexual violence, arbitrary arrests and detention as well as indiscriminate and illegal use of force, forceful arrests and incommunicado detentions. Reports of denial of appropriate HIV treatment and forced ‘purging’ under witch-hunt campaigns, sometimes resulting in death, were widespread.
Curtailment to the enjoyment and exercise of rights and freedoms, including freedom of expression, association and assembly led many to conduct clandestine activism activities. Those who got caught were dealt with severely.
Intimidation was used to suppress dissent and preserve the president’s grip on power. In addition, many suffered the misfortune of being tortured and subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment with lasting psychological and debilitating health conditions.
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