This is the first in a three-part series of articles highlighting the struggles of the Osus of Nigeria based on a detailed interview with Ephraim Ogwu, a CDWD activist who has tirelessly fought for the rights of Osu across Africa. In the first part, Ogwu talks about his earliest experiences, how social segregation continues even…
In an important update in the fight for rights for Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent, the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD) and The Gambana International made a joint submission, highlighting the pressing issue of caste and descent-based discrimination in The Gambia. Presented for the 48th Session of the Universal…
The Gambia continues to grapple with deeply rooted caste and descent-based discrimination (DWD), a pervasive issue affecting marginalized communities across the country. Despite national and international commitments to eradicate such discrimination, systemic inequalities persist, particularly in education, gender equality, political representation, and protection from violence. Communities identified as “slave castes” face widespread stigma and exclusion-especially…
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…
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,…
