GBA DATA PRIVACY POLICY

Welcome to the Gambia Bar Association’s (GBA) Membership Management Information System (MMIS). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect the personal information you provide through our membership portal. We are dedicated to safeguarding your privacy and ensuring that your personal information remains confidential and secure. Personal information refers to any data that is personal in nature and can be used to identify you.
The GBA may collect non-personal information from users of the membership portal. This information may include, but is not limited to, browser type, operating system, the pages visited on our site, the time and date of visits, and other similar data. We use this non-personal information to analyze trends, administer the portal, track users' movements, and gather demographic information for internal purposes. This data helps us improve our services and enhance the user experience.

The GBA membership portal is designed for various purposes, including managing member information, facilitating communication, and providing access to essential resources. It also serves to register new members, allowing them to sign up easily and enjoy the benefits of membership. This streamlines the onboarding process and helps the GBA efficiently keep track of its members. We want to emphasize that personal information will not be collected just by visiting this portal. However, when you sign into the portal, providing your information implies your consent for us to use this data to respond to your specific requests.

1.  INFORMATION WE MAY COLLECT: All personal information you provide to us is voluntary.  We may collect personal information about you (such as name, address, email, National ID Number/Passport Number/Alien ID, Date of Birth, Employer, Address, Phone Number, Profession, Citizenship, Date of Call, Date of Enrollment and/or other unique identifier) only if you specifically and knowingly provide it to us.  We will use your information to process your registration and/or request for certain services or information.  Providing your information is generally voluntary, but if it is not provided, we might not be able to process your registration or respond to your certain request.   
2. WHY WE COLLECT PERSONAL INFORMATION: We collect Personal Identifiable Information and other non-personal identifiable information only as necessary for the membership management information system / portal. We collect personal information to effectively manage membership, provide tailored services, and enhance communication with our members. Additionally, it enables us to maintain accurate records of our members. We do not sell the information collected or any other information we collect neither do we also transfer the information to any third party except by your express and written consent.
3. HOW WE USE PERSONAL INFORMATION: We use personal information to enhance our services and tailor our communications to meet the needs of our members. This includes processing membership applications and providing relevant updates and resources. Additionally, we may use the information to conduct research and improve our offerings, ensuring that we continue to serve our members effectively. The information we ask you to provide is voluntary or required.  By providing your personal information, you give us consent to use the information only for the purpose for which it was collected.  We describe those purposes when we collect information.  We will ask for your consent before using the information you provide for any secondary purpose other than those required by the laws of the Republic of The Gambia.
4. INFORMATION COLLECTED THROUGH TECHNOLOGY: We collect information through technology to enhance user experience and optimize our services. This includes data collected from cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies. These tools help us understand how members interact with the membership portal, which allows us to analyze usage patterns and identify areas for improvement. Additionally, we may gather device information, such as IP addresses and browser types, to ensure compatibility and security. This data helps us provide personalized content and recommendations, making it easier for members to access the resources they need. By understanding user behavior, we can continually refine our offerings and improve overall satisfaction. 
5. INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE BY REGISTERING FOR AN ACCOUNT: When you register for an account, the information you provide typically includes personal details such as your name, email address, contact number, and any other relevant data necessary for account creation as aforementioned. This information is essential for establishing your membership, allowing us to manage your profile, communicate effectively, and provide access to resources and services. 
6. NON-PERSONAL INFORMATION: The GBA may collect non-personal information that does not identify individual users. This includes aggregated data regarding user activity, demographic information, and technical details about devices and browsers used to access the membership portal. This information is utilized to analyze trends, enhance user experience, and improve our services without revealing the identities of our members. The GBA is committed to ensuring that non-personal information is handled in a manner that respects the privacy of all users in tandem with this Privacy Policy and other statutory provisions or laws enacted by the National Assembly of the Republic of The Gambia. If our information practices change at any time in the future, we will post the policy changes to the Systems for your consumption.
7. HOW WE PROTECT INFORMATION: The GBA takes the protection of personal and non-personal information seriously. We implement a variety of security measures to safeguard the information collected through the membership portal. These measures include encryption, firewalls, and secure server hosting to prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction of data. Additionally, access to personal information is restricted to authorized personnel only, who are required to maintain the confidentiality of such information. We regularly review our security practices to ensure the ongoing protection of our members' data.
8. YOUR PRIVACY RIGHT: As a member of the GBA, you have certain rights regarding your personal information. You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data held by us. You may also request restrictions on the processing of your data and withdraw consent at any time where we rely on your consent to process your personal information. To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided in this Privacy Policy. We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected and will respond to your requests in a timely manner.
9. LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES:  The GBA’s membership portal may contain links to external websites that are not operated by us. We have no control over the content, privacy policies, or practices of these websites. We encourage users to review the privacy policies of any external sites they visit. The GBA is not responsible for the content or practices of these third-party websites and cannot be held liable for any damages or issues that may arise from their use.
10. CHANGES TO GBA’S PRIVACY POLICY: The GBA reserves the right to make changes to this Privacy Policy at any time. Any modifications will be effective immediately upon posting the updated policy on our membership portal. We encourage members to regularly review this policy to stay informed about how we are protecting their information. Continued use of the membership portal after any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
11. CONTACT US: If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or the practices of this site, please contact GBA by sending an email to info@gba.gm.

DISCLAIMER:
BY SUBMITTING DATA TO GBA AND/OR USING THE MEMBERSHIP PORTAL YOU GIVE YOUR CONSENT THAT ALL PERSONAL DATA THAT YOU SUBMIT MAY BE PROCESSED BY GBA IN THE MANNER AND FOR THE PURPOSES DESCRIBED IN THIS PRIVACY POLICY AND OTHER STATUTORY PROVISIONS OR LAWS ENACTED BY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF GAMBIA.