The Gambia government is seeking to repeal a law banning skin bleaching in the country. 

The ban on skin bleaching was imposed by the country’s former strongman Yahya Jammeh in 1996. 

President Adama Barrow, who defeated Jammeh in the polls in 2017, is attempting to repeal the law which ban the importation, sale, possession and use of skin bleaching in The Gambia.

The Skin Bleaching (Prohibition) Repeal Bill, 2020 is being presented to parliament and will be debated by lawmakers next month. 

The government claimed that the ban on skin bleaching is “discriminatory” and “contravenes” Women’s Act 2010 and Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw).

“The skin bleaching prohibition law was found to be discriminatory against women and girls in The Gambia in furtherance of The Gambia’s international obligations and in line with the Constitution,” The Gambia government said.