The Gambia nears female genital mutilation decriminalization

Source: Picture Courtesy (MALICK NJJIE / REUTERS)

In a controversial turn of events, 42 parliamentarians have voted to pass a bill aimed at rescinding an 8-year-old ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) in Gambia.

Also known as female circumcision, FGM entails the partial or complete removal of a woman’s external genitalia. This practice is often employed as a method to assert control over women’s bodies and sexual autonomy, often justified under the guise of religious doctrine and cultural tradition, among other justifications.

This social and cultural practice is widely recognized globally, with prevalence in countries such as Chad, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Eritrea, India, Indonesia, Yemen, Oman, Iraq, and many others.

Gambia Bill Defended on Cultural and Religious Grounds

Almameh Gibba, the lawmaker who introduced the bill, argues that the ban violated citizens’ rights to practice their culture and religion, and that it aims to protect cultural traditions and principles.

However, activists in the West African country fear that the bill will undo years of progress, especially following the convictions of three women who were fined for mutilating eight infants in 2023.

“If the law is reversed in Gambia, there is a risk that the advocacy efforts in subsequent countries … will fail or go back,” warned Caroline Lagat, a program officer at NGO Equality Now, an advocacy group.

Divya Srinivasan from Equality Now emphasizes the potential for even more hazardous practices to be considered for decriminalization, such as child marriages. “There’s a significant risk that this decision marks merely the initial stage, potentially paving the way for the erosion of additional rights… not only within The Gambia but throughout the entire region,” she cautioned.