The West African Journalists and Bar Associations are currently attending a two day meeting in Banjul to discuss the issue of human rights in West Africa.

The meeting which opened yesterday at the Sheraton Hotel is organised by the West African Bar Association (WABA) with the support of Mac Arthur Foundation.

This meeting will provide opportunity for lawyers and journalist to reposition themselves in the promotion and defence of human rights.

In a statement the president of West African Bar Association Barrister Femi Falana said that a vigilant press is needed to expose human rights violations and a virile and active Bar to ensure that all cases of human rights violations are challenged either at municipal courts or regional institutions.

He said due to the weakness of the Judiciary in some member states of ECOWAS, many community citizens are turning to the community court of Justice for the enforcement of their human rights. He added that the court on its part has risen up to the challenge by attending to human rights cases without fear or favour.

Mr. Falana highlighted some of the cases that the court is handling such as Journalist Ebrima Manneh vs The Republic of the Gambia, Mani Hadijatou vs Niger Republic were the court declared slavery illegal in Niger, among others.