Under the theme “A voice for every woman & girl in The Gambia”, UN in The Gambia today convenes a dialogue with Women rights champions “driving positive change for women and girls in their communities.”
The discussions, among other things include mechanisms to make The Gambia safer & ensure a decade old legislation banning FGM in The Gambia is upheld.
The Gambia has a ban on FGM, by a law that was passed in parliament in 2015. The law came into force under the government of exiled former President Yahya Jammeh. But in August last year, three women were criminally charged with female genital mutilation (FGM), the first ever since the practice was outlawed.
Outraged by the charges against the three women, one of the country's most vocal religious leaders, Imam Abdoulie Fatty condemned the ban, went further to pay the women's fines. This caused a widespread condemnation of the FGM law resulting in some lawmakers to introduce a bill in Parliament to repeal the law.
Fast forward to March 18, 2024, the bill sailed through the initial voting with forty-two PMs voting for the bill, four MPs voted against repealing the law, and one MP abstained from voting.
The bill now awaits the consideration of the final committee on whether or not to repeal the FGM law in the Gambia.
Women rights and anti-FGM campaigners are pushing for the law to remain as it violates the right of the girl child, as well as health complications for women who have undergone the practice.
A leading anti-FGM and women’s rights campaigner, Jaha Dukureh is one of the participants of the dialogue organised by UN in The Gambia.
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