Rights. Support. Opportunity.

The Malick Jallow Foundation for Children (MJFC) is a non-governmental, non-profit, impartial and non-partisan organisation located in Banjul, The Gambia.

Its mandate is to promote and protect the rights of children in The Gambia through the provision of legal support and assistance to indigent children in conflict with the law, as well as building a preventive strategy to address the root causes of why such children come into conflict with the law.

To that end, the Institute aims to improve the effectiveness and implementation of domestic, African and international human-rights instruments on the rights of children and enhance their capacity to play a meaningful and fundamental role in the socio-economic development of The Gambia.

Activities and mandate

1. Build a preventive strategy to ensure that children do not come into conflict with the law, including training for stakeholders and grassroots sensitisation on children’s-rights instruments.
2. Improve access to the juvenile justice system by providing and facilitating legal aid for indigent children in conflict with the law and training legal-aid agencies.
3. Work closely with enforcement mechanisms for African treaties pertaining to children’s rights, train stakeholders in their procedures and enhance the domestic impact of decisions and jurisprudence.
4. Publish newsletters, periodicals and books that promote awareness of the Institute’s work and relevant activities across the juvenile justice system.
5. Provide legal representation for children in conflict with the juvenile justice system at the Children’s Court.
6. Undertake other activities consistent with the Institute’s mandate.

The Institute is fully registered as a non-profit-making charitable organisation with the Ministry of Justice of The Gambia and has legal personality.