The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice (EFSCRJ) formally announces its endorsement of Satang Nabaneh for election to the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) for the 2026–2031 term.
As an institution committed to justice, the rule of law, and democratic consolidation, EFSCRJ recognises Dr. Nabaneh as a leading legal scholar whose academic and professional contributions have been central to The Gambia’s democratic transition and to the advancement of rights-based governance in Africa.
Leadership in Constitutional Reform and Accountability!
Dr. Nabaneh is internationally recognised for her expertise in African constitutionalism. She served as the Gambian Country Reporter for Oxford University Press’ Constitutions of the Countries of the World and edited the seminal volume The Gambia in Transition: Towards a New Constitutional Order. Her technical leadership was instrumental in the development of the Issues and Options Paper on contentious provisions in The Gambia’s Draft Constitution and in advising on the role of political actors and civil society in constitution-making processes.
Her scholarship emphasises constitutional resilience, ensuring that rights-based protections, particularly for women and children, are embedded within durable legal frameworks.
Beyond academia, Dr. Nabaneh brings over fifteen years of strategic policy and advocacy experience at the intersection of gender, law, and justice. She played a key role in national advocacy efforts that led to the enactment of the Children’s Act 2005 and the Women’s Act 2010. Her recent work includes redrafting the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 2021 and developing the first comprehensive National Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Policy for The Gambia’s National Human Rights Commission.
Global Excellence and Regional Expertise!
Dr. Nabaneh is a Research Professor of Law at the University of Dayton Human Rights Center, an affiliated faculty member at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, and a Global Fellow at the Chr. Michelsen Institute and the University of Bergen’s Centre on Law & Social Transformation. She holds a PhD from the University of Washington and a Doctor of Laws (LLD) from the University of Pretoria.
Strengthening Children’s Rights at the Continental Level!
EFSCRJ firmly believes that Dr. Nabaneh’s election to the ACERWC would bring exceptional legal depth, integrity, and principled leadership to the Committee. Her commitment to bridging constitutional standards with the lived realities of children across Africa aligns fully with the mandate and spirit of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
Adopted by the African Union in 1990 and in force since 1999, the Charter is a legally binding regional instrument designed to protect and promote the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of children, while reflecting Africa’s historical, social, and cultural contexts.
The ACERWC is mandated to monitor State compliance through periodic reporting, consideration of communications, country visits, and the issuance of General Comments and recommendations, making it the principal continental mechanism for advancing children’s rights.
2026: The Year of Empowerment!
EFSCRJ calls on Member States of the African Union to support the candidacy of Dr. Satang Nabaneh in recognition of her outstanding qualifications, proven leadership, and unwavering commitment to children’s rights and social justice across Africa.
