Gambia is reconsidering the ban of the Female Genital Mutilation. How come?

The Gambia’s recent steps to potentially lift the ban on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) have sparked intense debate and concern among human rights activists and international observers. This move, if realised, would mark a significant reversal of progress made in women’s rights and health.

The facts

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) entails the partial or complete removal of external female genitalia, frequently involving excision of the clitoris or labia. This practice offers no health advantages and has been conclusively shown to inflict various harms upon girls and women.

In 2015, The Gambia enacted a ban on FGM, making the practice punishable by up to three years in prison. This was a landmark decision in a country where, according to UNICEF, a high percentage of women and girls had undergone the procedure.

The ban was part of a broader trend across Africa and the world to end a practice that has been widely condemned for its health risks and violation of women’s and girls’ rights.

The discussion surrounding Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Gambia intensified in mid-2023 following the conviction of three women under the existing law.

They were found guilty of performing FGM on eight infant girls, aged between four months and one year, and were subsequently sentenced to either pay a fine of 15,000 dalasi (just over 200 Euros) each or serve a year in jail. However, an imam intervened and covered the fines for all three women.

The arguments

The bill to lift the ban is backed by arguments that it violates citizens’ rights to practice their culture and religion. In The Gambia, where the majority of the population is Muslim, some see FGM as a religious and cultural practice.

The country’s top Islamic body has called the practice “one of the virtues of Islam,” and the bill’s proponents argue for the preservation of religious purity and cultural norms.

From a human rights perspective, the proposed rollback is alarming. Activists, including those who have personally suffered due to FGM, argue that the practice is a form of child abuse and a severe infringement on the rights of women and girls.

The procedure can lead to serious health complications, including bleeding, infection, childbirth complications, and even death.

On trumpeting the health effects FGM could have on women, it can lead to urinary difficulties, including recurrent urinary tract infections, urinary retention, and urinary incontinence.

FGM also increases the risk of complications during childbirth, including prolonged labour, perineal tears, and obstetric fistula.

Women who have undergone FGM may experience psychological trauma, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and low self-esteem.

Overall, the health risks associated with Female Genital Mutilation are significant and can have lifelong consequences for the physical, emotional, and reproductive well-being of affected individuals.

Moreover, opponents argue that revisiting the ban sends a dangerous message that undermines the progress made in combating FGM globally and may embolden proponents of the practice in other countries.

Protecting the rights and well-being of women and girls should take precedence over cultural sensitivities or political considerations.

As Gambia grapples with the decision to reconsider the FGM ban, several considerations must be taken into account.

Firstly, the voices and experiences of women and girls affected by FGM must be centre stage in any decision-making process. Their rights to bodily autonomy and health should be non-negotiable.

Some highly educated women in the National Assembly of Gambia are also behind the calls to repeal an FGM, to uphold a certain religious and cultural belief.