Africa-Press – Gambia. The Office of National Security (ONS), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on Wednesday convened a validation workshop on the National Study on Public Perceptions of Security Sector Reform Implementation, Security Challenges, Service Delivery, and Youth Attitudes toward Security Institutions in The Gambia.
Held at the African Princess Hotel in Kololi, the workshop brought together government officials, representatives of security institutions, civil society actors, development partners, and the media to review findings from a nationwide survey conducted by the Centre for Research and Policy Development (CRPD) across all seven administrative regions of the country.
In his opening statement, the National Security Adviser, Abubakarr Suleiman Jeng, described the exercise as a key milestone in advancing evidence-based security reforms. He noted that since the democratic transition following the 2016 presidential election, The Gambia has made steady progress in strengthening democratic oversight, institutional accountability, and legal frameworks within the security sector.
Mr. Jeng emphasized that security sector reform must extend beyond institutions and policies to include citizens’ lived experiences, particularly their sense of safety, trust in security institutions, and access to responsive services. He cited survey findings indicating that 44 per cent of Gambians identify theft and burglary as their most pressing security concern, while only 16 per cent of respondents from the poorest households reported feeling very safe during the day, and nearly 40 per cent said they feel unsafe at night.
He underscored the importance of the study in providing reliable disaggregated data to guide policy decisions and improve service delivery, stressing that the findings should serve as a tool to strengthen ongoing reforms rather than discourage stakeholders.
“These findings are not to discourage us but rather to sharpen our focus and strengthen our resolve to carry out the needed reforms,” he said.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the UNDP Resident Representative, the Head of Governance at UNDP, Sainey Ceesay, commended the ONS, CRPD, and the UNDP Security Sector Reform (SSR) Project Team for their collaboration and professionalism in conducting the nationwide survey. He also acknowledged the support of the Peacebuilding Fund, as well as the contributions of UNODC, OHCHR, and other partners in strengthening The Gambia’s security sector since the 2017 transition.
Mr. Ceesay reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to supporting the country’s SSR agenda, highlighting recent reforms including the enactment of the National Security Council (NSC) Act 2025 and the development of gender-responsive policies within security institutions.
He stressed the importance of data-driven decision-making, describing the workshop as an opportunity to align security reforms with citizens’ realities. He further called for stronger stakeholder engagement in validating the findings and ensuring that recommendations translate into practical reforms that enhance accountability, improve service delivery, and strengthen public trust in security institutions.
The study also revealed disparities in perceptions of safety, particularly among women and low-income groups. While public opinion remains divided on whether security has improved since 2017, a majority of respondents expressed optimism about future improvements in security service delivery.
