A silent crisis: Halimatou Ceesay’s powerful presentation exposes caste-based discrimination in The Gambia

A silent crisis: Halimatou Ceesay’s powerful presentation exposes caste-based discrimination in The Gambia

In The Gambia, a country often celebrated for its vibrant cultural diversity, an unspoken reality continues to plague thousands of people: caste-based discrimination, particularly against communities discriminated on work and descent (CDWD). Despite significant strides toward abolishing slavery and improving human rights, the shadow of descent-based oppression remains deeply entrenched, affecting every facet of life—from…

81st Ordinary Session of the ACHPR: Public Statement by Alima Taal

81st Ordinary Session of the ACHPR: Public Statement by Alima Taal

At the 81st Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) in Banjul, The Gambia, GFoD senior rights expert Alima Taal delivered a powerful statement addressing a pressing concern in African societies: discrimination based on work and descent. Alima highlighted the caste systems ingrained within various ethnic groups across the continent,…

Special Interest Group demands adoption of resolution on CDWD in Africa

Special Interest Group demands adoption of resolution on CDWD in Africa

The panel was chaired by Litha Musyimi, Commissioner of African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) during the NGO Forum ahead of  81st Session of the ACHPR on October 15, 2024 The NGO Forum ahead of 81st Session of African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), held from October 13 to 15, 2024,…

New Jersey declares September 21 as Global Caste Awareness Day

New Jersey declares September 21 as Global Caste Awareness Day

In a landmark step towards fighting caste-based discrimination, New Jersey officially declared September 21 as Global Caste Awareness Day, following a resolution passed by the Jersey City Municipal Council. This significant move highlights the need to address caste-based discrimination, a pervasive issue affecting millions of people globally, particularly those in the South Asian diaspora.  The…

Giving a voice to Africa’s CDWD: The fight for recognition, rights and representation

Giving a voice to Africa’s CDWD: The fight for recognition, rights and representation

One of the first questions when talking about any marginalized community across the world is about their population, distribution, and the data to support these facts. But what if such data is not available? What if the marginalized community is not even recognized as such? What if the government outrightly dismisses any claims made by…