Mamudu: The marginalization of the Gambian diaspora in the 2024 population census and their voting rights is a significant concern. The Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS) plans to conduct a digital population and housing census from May 25 to June 14, 2024, to collect data on the demographic, social, and economic characteristics of the population. However, it is not clear how the diaspora will be included in this census. As the 2024 Census unfolds, it serves as a call to action for all Gambians, including those living abroad. The inclusion or exclusion of Gambian expatriates, who often hold dual citizenship and contribute significantly to The Gambia’s political and socioeconomic development, is as critical as their voting rights.
While diaspora communities from other countries are often included in population censuses, the exclusion of the Gambian diaspora from this vital process raises questions. For instance, the U.S. Census gathers data on various racial and ethnic groups, encompassing citizens from U.S. diaspora communities worldwide.
Diaspora voting rights are a crucial element of contemporary governance and citizenship. Including diaspora communities in population censuses and enabling their participation in elections is vital. Counting diaspora populations helps nations understand the demographic composition and needs of their people, which is fundamental for allocating resources, formulating policies, and customizing services for the community’s requirements. Providing diaspora communities with voting rights acknowledges their enduring ties to their homeland, allowing them to influence its governance and progress from abroad. This is especially pertinent in nations that recognize dual citizenship, as it validates the individual’s involvement in both countries. The concept of diaspora communities contributing to their homeland’s advancement, through voting or other means, is becoming popular. Numerous countries are seeking methods to encourage such participation, realizing that these global citizens can contribute significant insights and resources.
Nonetheless, inaccuracies in counting can impact resource distribution and political representation.
Discussions and initiatives to realize diaspora voting rights are ongoing. A retreat for National Assembly Members and key stakeholders was convened to deliberate on the technical, operational, and logistical facets of diaspora voting and representation. The Ministry of Justice, along with other parties, is advancing the Elections Bill and a proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill for Diaspora Representation to affirm the voting and representation rights of the diaspora. These actions are part of a wider effort to address the historical disenfranchisement of the Gambian diaspora. Although progress is being made, the intricacies of the process necessitate the collaboration and dedication of various government entities and the citizenry to ensure the rights of the Gambian diaspora are acknowledged and enacted.
There are ongoing initiatives to enhance the precision of census data for diaspora communities globally. For example, the Indian Diaspora, the largest overseas diaspora, is counted in the population censuses of the countries they inhabit. Likewise, the Puerto Rican Diaspora in the United States is factored into census tallies, representing roughly 10% of the total Latino/Hispanic demographic according to some estimates.
Mamudu:Census data is vital for grasping the demographic structure of a nation, including its diaspora communities, which is essential for resource planning and allocation. The enumeration of diaspora communities in censuses differs across countries, yet some global standards exist, and certain nations regularly include these communities in their counts. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) characterizes diasporas as migrants or their descendants, whose identities and sense of belonging are influenced by their migration history. In the absence of a uniform definition and limited data, international migrant stock estimates often serve as a surrogate for diaspora community measurements, encompassing both emigrants and their progeny. With two-thirds of nations worldwide recognizing dual citizenship, the accounting of diaspora populations can be complex, as individuals might be counted in multiple countries. Additionally, one-third of countries involve their diaspora in shaping and executing development policies, acknowledging the significance of these groups.
Mamudu: No country in the world has complete information on its diaspora. While some nations and international bodies maintain records of their citizens living abroad and conduct surveys, mappings, and estimates targeting specific migration routes, the data is often incomplete. In 2020, India, Mexico, the Russian Federation, and China each had emigrant populations exceeding ten million. The emigrants from the top five countries with the largest diaspora communities constituted 20 percent of all emigrants worldwide. Such efforts are indicative of the attempts to comprehend and enumerate diaspora groups, which are vital for policy formulation and for ensuring that the needs and contributions of these groups are taken into account in their host countries. The diaspora’s interest in political leadership and ethics is consistent with these efforts, as it represents a more expansive view of citizenship that goes beyond national boundaries and recognizes the interdependent nature of our contemporary world. This perspective appreciates the input of all citizens, no matter where they live.
