The Gambia is a country of origin, transit, and destination for trafficking in persons (TIP), with limited research and funding to address the most prevalent forms of trafficking within its jurisdiction. Trafficked individuals are primarily foreign and Gambian women and girls, with boys trafficked to a lesser degree. Porous borders, underfunded and undertrained institutions, and limited coordination among the agencies tasked with responding to trafficking exacerbate the situation. While some cases are identified and reported each year, child trafficking—whether through forced begging, child labor, or child sex trafficking—remains largely underreported.
Countering Trafficking in Persons in The Gambia
In 2024, the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) launched the Countering Trafficking in Persons program in The Gambia, funded by the US Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. ABA ROLI aims to address the capacity gaps in prosecuting traffickers, protecting trafficked and vulnerable populations, and preventing trafficking across the country. ABA ROLI will take a foundation-building approach, focusing on sustainability through knowledge transfer to key anti-trafficking actors, including the judiciary, police, social welfare and shelter staff, civil society organizations, the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP), and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), as well as collaboration through strategic partnerships. ABA ROLI’s team in The Gambia will also establish a survivor-led Review and Validation Panel, made up of participants from survivors' rights groups and local experts in countering TIP. This panel will provide feedback on program activity creation and implementation as part of our commitment to "people-centered justice."