MPs in the Gambia vote to uphold ban on female genital mutilation

Source: The Guardian

MPs in the Gambia vote to uphold ban on female genital mutilation

Campaigners applaud decision not to repeal law in west African country with one of the highest rates of FGM

Eromo Egbejule in Abidjan
Mon 15 Jul 2024 16.39 BST
Last modified on Tue 16 Jul 2024 02.31 BST

MPs in the Gambia voted on Monday to retain a law outlawing female genital mutilation (FGM), sparking joy and relief among campaigners.

Thirty-four out of 53 lawmakers voted to maintain the ban, which was introduced in 2015, aid workers told the Guardian. The remainder voted to repeal it.

Jaha Dukureh, an FGM survivor and founder of Safe Hands for Girls, said: “Today we stood on the right side of history one more time. We have shown that even if they burn down this country, we will rebuild to protect our women and girls. Today, we won for Gambia.”

According to the UN, the country has the ninth-highest rate of FGM in the world. Almost three-quarters of Gambian women between 15 and 49 have undergone FGM, which involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia. Nearly two-thirds of them were cut before the age of five.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/article/2024/jul/15/mps-the-gambia-vote-uphold-ban-on-female-genital-mutilation-fgm