Mama Fatima Singhateh

Mama Singhateh went through her basic and Secondary School Education in Banjul The Gambia. She then proceeded to the University of Hull, United Kingdom, from which she graduated with and LLB (Hons) in 1997. She went on to obtain a Masters in International Business Law from the same university in 1998. Between 1998 and 1999 she completed the Bar Vocational Course at the University of Wales and was called to the Bar of England and Wales as Barrister.

Before her appointment as Minister Mama Fatima Singhateh held several positions within the Attorney General's Chambers of The Gambia, first as State Counsel in 2002 then as Senior State Counsel and then as Principal Drafts person. Between 2007 and 2009 Mama Singhateh branched into the private sector where she headed the legal Department at one of the International Banks before being appointed Judge of the High Court of The Gambia[1]

In August 2009, upon the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, Mama Fatima Singhateh was appointed as Judge of the High Court by His Excellency President Yaya Jammeh. Having performed Excellently well in this role she was elevated to the Gambia Court of Appeal in 2012 where she served until her appointment as Minister of Justice. While at the Judiciary Justice Singhateh was the Project Coordinator of the UNDP Justice Sector project[5] under which huge strides were made in the administration of justice and improvement in the legal capacity of the judiciary.

In August 2013 Mama Singhateh was appointed to the Cabinet of the Government of The Gambia to occupy the position of Attorney General and Minister of Justice. This appointment was seen as a very strategic one given her previous vast experience within this Ministry. Her stint as Minister saw the launch of major projects within the justice sector, notably the refurbishment of the Ministry's premises[6] and for the very first time, the launching of the Single Business Window Registry. In 2015 her Ministry spearheaded amendments in the Sexual Offences Act, outlawing the practice of Female Genital Mutilation in The Gambia.[7] A year later, she led legislative efforts that resulted in the historical outlawing of child marriages in The Gambia.[8][9]

Minister SInghateh on Official visit to Rwanda

She was relieved of her appointment as Minister of Justice in August 2014. In January 2015 she was re-appointed Attorney General and Minister of Justice,[10] a position that she held until 17 January 2017.

In March 2020, the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Mama Singhateh as the UN Special Rapporteur on the Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children, replacing Maud de Boer-Buquicchio who had held that position since May 2014.[11] [12]