The country's struggle with FGM continues as the death of an innocent child highlights systemic cultural practices that endanger the lives of women and girls.
Outcry in The Gambia Following Infant's Death Due to Female Genital Mutilation
Outcry in The Gambia Following Infant's Death Due to Female Genital Mutilation
The tragic death of a one-month-old girl after undergoing female genital mutilation has reignited outrage over the practice in The Gambia.
The one-month-old baby girl succumbed after complications from female genital mutilation (FGM), leading to severe public discontent and renewed demands for child protection. She was rushed to a hospital in Banjul due to excessive bleeding but was sadly pronounced dead upon arrival. Reports indicate that FGM—which involves the partial or total removal of a female's external genitalia—was linked to her death, although an autopsy is underway to confirm the exact cause.
Women In Leadership and Liberation (WILL), a prominent NGO, decisively condemned the practice, declaring, "Culture is no excuse, tradition is no shield; this is violence, pure and simple." The police have detained two women purportedly responsible for the procedure, further escalating the call to end such harmful practices.
Abdoulie Ceesay, Member of Parliament for the Kombo North District where the tragedy occurred, emphasized the need for urgent reforms to safeguard the rights and well-being of children, urging the nation to commit to preventing similar incidents from recurring.
FGM remains a deeply ingrained cultural practice in The Gambia, with statistics showing that approximately 73% of women and girls aged 15 to 49 have undergone the procedure, with many affected as very young children. FGM has been illegal in the country since 2015, yet the enforcement of these laws has proven inadequate, evidenced by only two prosecutions since the ban and just one conviction in 2023.
In spite of this legal framework, a push for decriminalizing the practice surfaced last year but was overwhelmingly rejected in parliament. Survivors like Fatou Baldeh have reported a disturbing rise in FGM practices performed on infants, as some parents believe that younger children heal faster and are less likely to draw attention to the act.
Globally, over 70 countries have banned FGM; however, it remains prevalent in a number of communities, particularly within African Muslim-majority nations like The Gambia. As the nation grapples with this tragic incident, local activists continue to fight for the protection of vulnerable populations against harmful cultural practices.
Women In Leadership and Liberation (WILL), a prominent NGO, decisively condemned the practice, declaring, "Culture is no excuse, tradition is no shield; this is violence, pure and simple." The police have detained two women purportedly responsible for the procedure, further escalating the call to end such harmful practices.
Abdoulie Ceesay, Member of Parliament for the Kombo North District where the tragedy occurred, emphasized the need for urgent reforms to safeguard the rights and well-being of children, urging the nation to commit to preventing similar incidents from recurring.
FGM remains a deeply ingrained cultural practice in The Gambia, with statistics showing that approximately 73% of women and girls aged 15 to 49 have undergone the procedure, with many affected as very young children. FGM has been illegal in the country since 2015, yet the enforcement of these laws has proven inadequate, evidenced by only two prosecutions since the ban and just one conviction in 2023.
In spite of this legal framework, a push for decriminalizing the practice surfaced last year but was overwhelmingly rejected in parliament. Survivors like Fatou Baldeh have reported a disturbing rise in FGM practices performed on infants, as some parents believe that younger children heal faster and are less likely to draw attention to the act.
Globally, over 70 countries have banned FGM; however, it remains prevalent in a number of communities, particularly within African Muslim-majority nations like The Gambia. As the nation grapples with this tragic incident, local activists continue to fight for the protection of vulnerable populations against harmful cultural practices.
