On Monday, Gambian lawmakers referred a bill to the national committee that seeks to reverse the Women’s (Amendment) Act, 2015, which bans female genital mutilation (FGM). Concurrently, local activists gathered outside the National Assembly of The Gambia, protesting this attempted repeal.
FGM involves altering or injuring the female genitalia without medical necessity—a practice the UN identifies as indicative of deep-seated gender inequality. UNICEF reports that FGM has victimised over 230 million women and girls worldwide, with Africa harboring 144 million victims. Human rights organizations, including the UN, have pressured nations to put an end to FGM for years due to the harmful, traumatic, and in some cases fatal, consequences it carries.
The UN General Assembly resolution 73/149 recognizes FGM as a crime in 26 of the 29 African countries where it is traditionally practiced. UN Women recommend that states also offer legislative and extraterritorial law training to police and judicial sectors to ensure the punishment of FGM perpetrators.
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of The Gambia, Seedy SK Njie, assured that a final decision on the Women’s (Amendment) Act, 2015 will be taken post consulting the national committee, sating: “For us, our position is clear: the FGM law is here to stay. [We are] committed to keeping Gambian women [and] girls safe.”. Yet, this bill has stirred international concern with critic and former US politician, Joe Crowley expressing disappointment that an overturning of the current ban is even in discussion.
FGM was outlawed by former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh on December 31, 2015, with significant penalties assigned for offences. But this bill has sparked fears among female right’s activists, such as Jaha Dukureh, who worries it might pave the way to repealing other laws that protect women’s rights.