After more than two decades of frontline leadership in child protection and international development, prominent advocate Lamin Fatty has announced the establishment of a new nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing children’s rights across The Gambia.
The organisation, named Child Rights Advocacy, Research & Protection Services (CRARPS), aims to bridge persistent gaps in national child welfare systems through a comprehensive, evidence-based approach. Fatty, who served for nearly a decade as National Coordinator of the Child Protection Alliance (CPA) – one of the country’s leading child rights coalitions – brings extensive experience to this new endeavor.
CRARPS will operate on four interconnected pillars: rights advocacy, research, capacity building, and direct protection services. The organization seeks to transform advocacy from rhetoric into actionable impact by leveraging rigorous data and research to shape strategies, policies, and programs. It will promote full implementation of key frameworks, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), and Gambian national laws.
Fatty’s career has centered on safeguarding vulnerable children and reforming systems. At CPA, he led strategic planning, managed budgets and coalitions, and provided technical expertise for landmark national policies on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and child marriage. He spearheaded nationwide campaigns to enforce anti-FGM laws, mobilized international funding, and forged partnerships with government bodies, civil society, and global entities such as ECPAT International and ChildHope UK.
A certified Child Safeguarding Trainer, Fatty has designed and delivered training for law enforcement, judicial officials, and community groups. Earlier roles included Project Manager at the Nova Scotia–Gambia Association, where he oversaw health initiatives tackling malaria, HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, and waterborne diseases. He also served as an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of The Gambia (2022–2024), contributing to the curriculum in child protection laws and welfare programs.
Fatty holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from the University of The Gambia, an advanced diploma in Banking and Finance from the Management Development Institute, and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration at Suffolk University’s Sawyer Business School in Boston.
He has represented The Gambia and West African civil society at major international forums, including the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review, the ECOWAS Regional Conference on Human Trafficking, the UN Commission on the Status of Women, and the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. He has co-authored and published research on child protection issues.
With CRARPS, Fatty aims to collaborate with communities, institutions, policymakers, and partners to make children’s rights a lived reality. He has extended an open call for partnerships to individuals and organizations passionate about child welfare in The Gambia and beyond.
“This is a pivotal chapter in my lifelong commitment,” Fatty stated. “By combining advocacy with research, capacity building, and direct services, CRARPS will help ensure every Gambian child thrives in safety and dignity.”
The launch comes amid ongoing challenges in child protection, including enforcement gaps in areas like child labor, begging, and sexual exploitation. Fatty’s new initiative positions him to continue driving systemic change at the national and regional levels.
