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"Though FGM was criminalised in The Gambia in 2015, some seeking to overturn the ban argue that it violates religious freedom and is against the country’s cultural practices.
The bill will now go to a committee of MPs for further consideration.
Survivors of FGM and activists had hoped it would be thrown out. They said that not only did the practice cause lifelong damage but it was also against a woman’s right to bodily autonomy.
Click here for the article in the Ghanaian Times
Click here for Gambia may become the first nation to reverse the ban - CBS News
Editor's Note: An earlier version of this post wrongly identified the country as Ghana. The proposal to reverse the ban is in the Gambia, not Ghana. The article appeared in the Ghanaian Times, and hence the confusion. We apologize for the error and thank our reader, John James, for calling our attention.
Hard to believe this is happening.. in the late nineties, UNICEF and others had worked closely with NGOs in Gambia advocating the ban on FGM/C despite the opposition from some political leaders. Through mobilization of women leaders at the community level and a public campaign , FGM/C was banned which influenced governments in neighbouring countries to ban the practice. It will be a tragedy if the ban is reversed by the Committee of MPs.
ReplyDeleteHi there,
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great work. Some typos in this article though as it's about The Gambia not Ghana, though perhaps the story comes from a Ghanaian media outlet.
Thanks John for the correction. We apologize for the error and are grateful for letting us know so quickly. We have posted a correction.
DeleteMany thanks, no worries. I just panicked for a moment after dealing with Gambia last night that another country was moving in the same direction!
DeleteSo much for sustainable development.
ReplyDeleteThis is what the UNICEF office in The Gambia has to say in its 2023 annual report about FGM in The Gambia:
(Quote) In the area of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), prevalence remains high with 50.6% of girls aged between 0-14 years and 27.3% of girls aged 0-4 years have undergone FGM, with urban and rural disparities.
The FGM Strategy developed in 2018 was reviewed and brought into perspective considering previous formative studies that highlighted the determinants of FGM and child marriage in The Gambia.
To foster strengthening of the protection of children and adolescents in the country, throughout 2023, UNICEF strengthened its collaboration with the Government through the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Welfare, the National Youth Council, The Ministry of Justice, The Birth and Death Registration Unit under the Ministry of Health, the Labour Unit under the Ministry of trade, Regional Integration and Employment to enhance policy reform and the profile of child rights as well as support protection case management. Additionally, UNICEF strengthened its partnership with civil society and organizations, including galvanizing adolescent-led community engagement to prevent harmful practices. (Unquote)
According to the UNICEF Transparency Portal, no budget line or indicator related to FGM was used by the office, in 2023.