The Gambia has voted to uphold ban on FGM

The Gambia’s Parliament has voted to uphold a ban on female genital mutilation (FGM), also called ‘female genital cutting’ (FGC).

Around 70% of women aged 15 to 49 in the country underwent FGM before it was banned in 2015.

FGM was banned in the West African country in 2015. Earlier this year, a bill was introduced to parliament that sought to overturn the ban.

This week’s decision will see the ban remain in place.

Here’s what you need to know.

FGM

FGM is known to cause health issues like infections, blood loss, problems urinating, and complications in childbirth. It has no health benefits.

Thehas identified FGM in 92 countries. It’s sometimes described as a cultural or religious practice, but it is not recommended in any major religious text.

The World Health Organisation describes FGM as “an extreme form of discrimination against girls and women.”

FGM laws in The Gambia

In 2015, The Gambia passed a law to ban FGM, which includes a penalty of up to three years imprisonment for anyone who performs it, and life imprisonment if the procedure causes death.

In March 2024,on FGM. The bill was sent to be reviewed by a parliamentary committee before a final vote was made.

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On Monday, the Gambian Parliament voted against the bill to overturn the ban — meaning FGM will remain a criminal offence in The Gambia.

Committee

The committee delivered numerous recommendations on the motion to overturn the ban on 8 July.

According to The Gambia’s Parliament Watch, the committee said the current ban on FGM should “be maintained to protect the health and wellbeing of women and girls.”

It also suggested that the Government should “ban any attempt to medicalise the practice of FGM”.

The Parliament voted to reject the bill in full, meaning that the original ban enacted in 2015 is unchanged.

The Government said it remains “firm in its resolve to eliminate this harmful practice” in a

Almameh Gibba, the politician who introduced the bill to overturn the FGM ban, said he is “ready to stand firm” against a law that he believes penalises “our sisters or mothers because of practising their culture.”

This was the first time a bill was fully rejected in The Gambia’s current parliament.

Response

The Gambia Network Against Gender Based Violence described the ruling as a “pivotal moment” and a “triumph for survivors, activists, and human rights advocates.”

The United Nations Population Fund said it is “crucial that these legal protections remain in place.”