Proposed Bill in Gambia Threatens Ban on Female Genital Mutilation

The Gambian government is facing backlash over a proposed law that could reverse critical gains for women’s and girls’ rights in the country. The bill, known as the Women’s (Amendment) Bill 2024, aims to overturn a groundbreaking 2015 ban on female genital mutilation (FGM), a harmful practice that affects millions of girls and women worldwide.

Human Rights Watch has condemned the proposed law, warning that it could legitimize FGM in Gambia and set a dangerous precedent for other countries in Africa. FGM, which involves the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia for non-medical reasons, has lasting physical, psychological, and emotional consequences for its victims.

Despite efforts to combat FGM in Gambia, including a national strategy to end the practice by 2030, the prevalence of FGM remains high. Traditional practitioners, often women themselves, continue to perform the procedure, leading to deaths and long-term health complications.

The international community has called for the elimination of harmful practices like FGM by 2030, as part of the Sustainable Development Goal on gender equality. The Gambian government is urged to prioritize the protection of girls’ and women’s rights and reject any attempts to weaken the existing ban on FGM.

Civil society organizations, African and UN human rights bodies, and international donors are all advocating for the government to uphold the ban on FGM and invest in education, awareness-raising, and support services for survivors. It is crucial for Gambia to take concrete steps towards ending the harmful practice of FGM and ensuring the well-being of its female population.