Bill to lift ban on Female Genital Mutilation in The Gambia tabled

Gambia President Yahya Jammeh Portrait, JohnArmagh, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Former president of The Gambia Yahya Jammeh oversaw the ban on FGM that some now seek to overturn.

 A controversial bill seeking to overturn the ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) has been presented in The Gambia’s parliament. Last week, the legislative body deliberated on proposed legislation aiming to revoke the 2015 ban on FGM imposed by then-President Yahya Jammeh. The second reading has now been postponed to March 18. 

What is FGM? 

Female genital mutilation (FGM) encompasses all procedures involving the partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other non-medical alterations to female genital organs. Typically conducted with a blade and often without anaesthesia. 

The 2015 amendment to the Women’s Act of 2010 criminalized the practice of FGM, with the former president, Jammeh, explicitly stating that it is not a requirement of Islam.  

However, the bill, put forth by lawmaker Almameh Gibba, contends that the 2015 ban encroaches upon citizens' rights to “uphold religious purity and safeguard cultural norms and values". Tensions escalated in mid-2023 when three women faced fines for participating in FGM, a case that gained additional attention after receiving an endorsement from an Islamic cleric.  

On Monday, supporters and critics congregated around the national assembly, voicing their conflicting perspectives on the bill. 

Activists and civil society organizations have strongly opposed growing calls to repeal the law, asserting that the proposed action would represent a significant regression. Fallou Sowe, the national coordinator of the civil society organization Network Against Gender-based Violence, emphasized the gravity of the situation in 2023, stating, "[The] Gambia took a bold step in 2015 towards eradicating FGM, so reverting back after eight years would have profound implications for the country." 

UN Response: 

The UN Children's gency UNICEF reports that the prevalence of FGM in The Gambia stands at approximately 76 percent among women aged between 14 and 49. Following the bill, the UN issued a statement on Wednesday urging for its withdrawal, condemning the practice as  “an abhorrent violation of human rights”.