Gambia

Featured Report

Not Available

Immigration detainees

2019

No Data

Detained children

Featured Report

Overview

Types of facilities used for migration-related detention
Administrative Ad Hoc Criminal Unknown

Related Reading

December 2019
Gambia Immigration Detention Data Profile (2019)
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28 October 2020 – Gambia

28 October 2020

In mid-October, the Gambian government relaxed various COVID-19 restrictions on travel and public gatherings in the run up to its tourism season. The country declared its markets opened, waiving a two-week mandatory quarantine imposed on people arriving in the country. However, travelers are required to show evidence of negative polymerase chain reaction test results conducted […]

Read More…

International Organization for Migration (IOM), “Voluntary Returns from Niger to The Gambia Resume After Six-Month Hiatus,” 25 September 2020, https://www.iom.int/fr/news/voluntary-returns-niger-gambia-resume-after-six-month-hiatus
Last updated:

DETENTION STATISTICS

Total Migration Detainees: Flow + Stock (year)
Not Available
2019

DETAINEE DATA

Total Number of Children Placed in Immigration Detention (Year)
0
2017

DETENTION CAPACITY

ALTERNATIVES TO DETENTION

ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT DATA

PRISON DATA

Criminal Prison Population (Year)
1,121
2014
1,000
2012
780
2009
450
2002
478
1999
Percentage of Foreign Prisoners (Year)
66.7
2002
Prison Population Rate (per 100,000 of National Population)
58
2014
56
2012
45
2009
32
2002
38
1999

POPULATION DATA

Population (Year)
2,400,000
2020
1,991,000
2015
International Migrants (Year)
215,406
2019
76,400
2015
International Migrants as Percentage of Population (Year)
9.7
2015
Refugees (Year)
4,302
2019
4,034
2018
8,039
2017
7,936
2016
Ratio of Refugees Per 1000 Inhabitants (Year)
3.86
2016
6.02
2014
New Asylum Applications (Year)
2
2014
Refugee Recognition Rate (Year)
100
2014
Stateless Persons (Year)
0
2015

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DATA & POLLS

Gross Domestic Product per Capita (in USD)
484
2014
Remittances to the Country
191
2014
Unemployment Rate
2014
Net Official Development Assistance (ODA) (in Millions USD)
99.7
2014
Human Development Index Ranking (UNDP)
175 (Low)
2015

MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION

Does the Country Detain People for Migration, Asylum, or Citizenship Reasons?
Yes
2014
Does the Country Have Specific Laws that Provide for Migration-Related Detention?
Yes
1965

GOVERNANCE SYSTEM

Legal Tradition(s)
Muslim law
2017
Common law
2017
Customary law
2017

LEGAL & REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Detention-Related Legislation
Immigration Act 1965 (1965)
1965

GROUNDS FOR MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION

LENGTH OF MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION

MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION INSTITUTIONS

Custodial Authorities

PROCEDURAL STANDARDS & SAFEGUARDS

DETENTION MONITORS

> National human rights monitoring bodies

> National Preventive Mechanisms (Optional Protocol to UN Convetion against Torture)

> Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

> Governmental monitoring bodies

> International detention monitoring

TRANSPARENCY

READMISSION/RETURN/EXTRADITION AGREEMENTS

COVID-19

HEALTH CARE

COVID-19 DATA

Has the country released immigration detainees as a result of the pandemic?
Unknown
2022
Has the country Temporarily Ceased or Restricted Issuing Detention Orders?
No
2021
Has the Country Adopted These Pandemic-Related Measures for People in Immigration Detention?
COVID-19 Testing: UnknownVaccinations: UnknownProvision of Masks: UnknownProvision of Hygiene Supplies: UnknownSuspension of Visits: Unknown
2022
Has the Country Locked-Down Previously "Open" Reception Facilities, Shelters, Refugee Camps, or Other Forms of Accommodation for Migrant Workers or Other Non-Citizens?
Unknown
2022
Have cases of COVID-19 been reported in immigration detention facilities or any other places used for immigration detention purposes?
Unknown
2022
Has the Country Ceased or Restricted Deportations/Removals During any Period After the Onset of the Pandemic?
Unknown
2022
Has the Country Released People from Criminal Prisons During the Pandemic?
Yes
2020
Have Officials Blamed Migrants, Asylum Seekers, or Refugees for the Spread of COVID-19?
Unknown
2022
Has the Country Restricted Access to Asylum Procedures?
Yes
2020
Has the Country Commenced a National Vaccination Campaign?
Yes
2022
Have Populations of Concern Been Included/Excluded From the National Vaccination Campaign?
People in Immigration Custody (including legal in "alternatives to detention" or at open reception centres): UnknownRefugees: UnknownUndocumented Migrants: UnknownAsylum Seekers: UnknownStateless People: Unknown
2022

INTERNATIONAL TREATIES

International Treaties Ratified
Ratification Year
Observation Date
CAT, Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
2018
2018
ICRMW, International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
2018
2018
OPCRPD, Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
2015
2018
CRPD, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
2015
2015
CRSSP, Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons
2014
2014
VCCR, Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
2013
2013
CTOCTP, Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children
2003
2003
CTOCSP, Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
2003
2003
CEDAW, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
1993
1993
CRC, Convention on the Rights of the Child
1990
1990
ICCPR, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
1979
1979
ICERD, International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
1978
1978
ICESCR, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
1978
1978
PCRSR, Protocol to the Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
1967
1967
CRSR, Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
1966
1966
Ratio of relevant international treaties ratified
Ratio: 15/19
Treaty Reservations
Reservation Year
Observation Date
ICCPR Article 14 1979
1979
2017
Individual Complaints Procedures
Acceptance Year
ICCPR, First Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966 1988
1988
CRPD, Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2015
2015
Ratio of Complaints Procedures Accepted
Observation Date
2/6
2017
Relevant Recommendations Issued by Treaty Bodies
Recommendation Year
Observation Date
Human Rights Committee § 46. The State party should allocate a sufficient level of resources to the Gambia Commission for Refugees so as to ensure effective management and treatment of refugees and asylum seekers; increase the number of transit centres with adequate facilities and services; ensure that child refugees born in the State party or arriving as minors are provided with identification documents to avoid the risk of statelessness, and establish data on refugees and asylum seekers through the nationwide refugee status determination exercise. 2018
2018

NON-TREATY-BASED INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS

Relevant Recommendations from the UN Universal Periodic Review
Observation Date
No 2010
2017
No 2014
2017

REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS

Regional Legal Instruments
Year of Ratification (Treaty) / Transposed (Directive) / Adoption (Regulation)
Observation Date
ACHPR, African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights 1983
1983
2017
ACRWC, African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child 2000
2000
2017
APRW, Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) 2005
2005
2017

DETENTION COSTS

OUTSOURCING

FOREIGN SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR DETENTION OPERATIONS