By Kumba Leigh
As part of its ‘Students’ Week’ activities, the University of The Gambia Law School has engaged law students on a week-long sensitization on trafficking in person.
The Students’ Week is a student-led activity that offers the opportunity for students from diverse backgrounds and cultures to network and share ideas after rigorous semesters of their academic work.
Themed “Trafficking in persons (TIP) and smuggling of migrants (SoM)’’, the sensitization included community outreach, TIP and SOM awareness campaign, a cultural day and luncheon sales, and a law day event.
In an interview with Amie Sohna, the Public Relations Officer of the Law School, she explained that the law week came from law day which is a constitutional requirement that any council that takes in leadership should celebrate.
She said the activity is among the series of programmes aimed at reaching out to communities, and educate them on challenges, and the way forward against trafficking in persons, and the smuggling of migrants.
Madam Sohna cautioned people to be vigilant, and be watchful “because most of the people involved in such an act are young people - our brothers and sisters’’.
The Gambia Trafficking in Persons Act 2007 which was adopted on the 5th of October, 2007 prohibits all forms of trafficking in persons, and provides for heavy penalties, life imprisonment for trafficking persons under 18 years, or when the trafficking includes the rape or death of the victim of trafficking with a minimum of 15 years imprisonment, and a maximum of life imprisonment for trafficking in adults.
