UN Nations Unies
 
Bureau Régional pour l’Afrique de l’Ouest

Official Opening of the 2nd Edition of the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Human Rights Moot Court Competition

28 octobre 2021

BANJUL (27 October 2021) – The opening ceremony of the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara human rights moot court competition takes place on the 27th of October at the Faculty of Law Auditorium, University of the Gambia.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Faculty of Law, University of the Gambia with support from PROMIS, (a joint initiative of OHCHR and UNODC to strengthen the capacities of West African countries in developing human rights-based responses to the smuggling of migrants and to effectively respond to violations of migrants’ human rights) is organizing the Second Edition of the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Human Rights Moot Court Competition to be held from 27 October to 10 December 2021. The moot competition aims to promote a culture of human rights in The Gambia, and to commemorate the 75th International Human Rights Day and International Migrants Day.

The competition was named after the former President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara in recognition of his legendary efforts and contribution in laying the foundation of the African Human Rights System. The theme for this year’s competition is centered on state obligation regarding the human rights of Migrants in Africa which provides guidance on promotion and protection of the human rights of migrants based on international and regional standards. It also presents an opportunity for law students to engage in the socio-economic, legal, and political causes of migration, the dynamics of migrants as well as the legal mechanisms for redress when migrants’ rights are not fulfilled.

The competition will include 8 teams of students from the Faculty of Law who will argue a hypothetical case before a panel of judges based on the rules of the African Court on Human and People’s Rights. The preliminary rounds will be conducted at the Faculty of Law, UTG and the closing ceremony to be held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Conference Hall.

In addition to the moot final which will coincide with the International Human Rights Day on 10 December 2021, the day will also be marked by a series of activities including the screening of a short film about migrants and a panel discussion on the socio-economic rights of migrants and the duty of states to promote and protect the rights of migrants.

UN Human Rights, country page : www.westafrica.ohchr.org
For more information and media requests please contact habibou.dia@un.org