- Gambian mothers resist lifting FGM ban despite parliamentary efforts
- 2015 law criminalized FGM; proposed repeal faces strong opposition
- Despite progress, FGM survivors and activists remain concerned
When Fatou* was less than a year old, she underwent female circumcision, which rights organizations denounce as a form of maltreatment, also known as female genital mutilation.
The 29-year-old woman from Bandung, a town located on the outskirts of Banjul, the capital of The Gambia, declared today that she will protect her infant daughter from enduring the same ordeal that left her scarred, despite the fact that parliament is taking measures to lift a prohibition on female genital mutilation (FGM).
As she prepared suhoor, the first meal of the day preceding the fasting period during the Muslim month of Ramadan, while seated in her kitchen, Fatou recounted the agony and enduring trauma that she claims FGM caused.
“My spouse and I endured days of agony when I was married,” she recalled, her words laden with the burden of recollection. “Our marriage could not be consummated due to the fact that I was sealed.”
That was merely a fraction of the distress it inflicted upon her being. After ultimately conceiving, she encountered tremendous challenges during the delivery of their nine-month-old child.
Adhering resolutely to Fatou’s cause, her spouse serves as an inspiration luminary, mirroring her unwavering resolve to disrupt the recurring pattern of affliction. However, only some women have experienced the same.
Sarata*, a mother of two daughters aged three and fifteen months, is thirty-five years old. Delivery was additionally a distressing experience due to her circumcision. Upon witnessing the suffering she endured, her spouse became an outspoken opponent of FGM.
Sarata was left to raise their daughters and fight for their futures by herself in 2022, when her husband tragically perished in a car accident while she was pregnant with their second child.
Sarata discussed in her improvised shop in Brufut, a village in the West Coast Region located 23 kilometres from Banjul, the enduring repercussions that female genital mutilation (FGM) has imposed on her existence.
She inquired, “What do they desire?” with a quivering voice filled with agony. “What do men, who advocate for this abhorrent practice, hope to accomplish?” Her children continued to play in the vicinity of the detergents, brooms, and secondhand products she had on display.
“Although my spouse passed away, his determination to oppose FGM remained intact. “Since we vowed to safeguard our daughters, should the prohibition be lifted… Her voice initially sank, then regained its former vigour. “As I endured my own suffering, I shall not allow them to suffer over my dead body.”
Protection of girls’ liberties
After years of advocacy, the Gambian parliament made a momentous achievement in 2015 by passing the Women’s (Amendment) Act of 2015. This legislation criminalized female genital mutilation (FGM) and imposed a maximum prison sentence of three years.
In contrast, on March 18, politicians cast a contentious vote of 42 to 4 in favour of a controversial new measure that, if passed subsequent to additional consultation and expert opinion from specialized government ministries, would repeal the historic ban on female genital mutilation.
The bill’s sponsor, Representative Almameh Gibba, argued that the prohibition violated the rights of citizens to practise their religion and culture. “The purpose of the bill is to protect cultural norms and values and preserve religious loyalty,” he explained.
Nevertheless, human rights organizations assert that the proposed legislation jeopardizes the nation’s human rights record and undoes years of progress.
Commenting on the matter, Jama Jack, co-founder of Think Young Women (TYW), a preeminent non-profit organization managed by women, stated, “We unequivocally and unequivocally oppose all forms of FGM.”
Even after the law was enacted in 2015, TYW has engaged communities, championed sensitization efforts, and empowered youth advocates to combat FGM for over a decade.
The proposed revocation of the law is regarded by the NGO as a betrayal of women and girls.
Jack stated, “By repealing the law, all of these girls are exposed to the grave danger of being duped, taken to cutters, mutilated, and then left to endure the repercussions on their physical and mental health.
It will strongly demonstrate that the Gambian government is committed to its duty to protect all citizens and will not prioritize the safety of a majority over the interests of a minority by ensuring that the law prohibiting FGM remains in effect.
Tabou Njie Sarr is an additional ardent supporter of the FGM prohibition. In her capacity as the Women’s Rights Manager at the non-governmental organization Action Aid, she advocates against the law’s abolition, highlighting its vital function in safeguarding girls and women against detrimental customs and infringements upon human rights. She was present at the National Assembly when the women’s amendment measure was introduced, along with hundreds of other women.
She stated that by maintaining the prohibition, “The Gambia is fulfilling its obligations to the rights of women and girls,” highlighting the nation’s adherence to international conventions that protect the rights of women.
Constraints regarding untrained circumcisers causing irreparable damage and adverse effects on sexual and reproductive health were among the dangers highlighted by Sarr in relation to FGM.
Sarr considers education to be the most critical factor in combating FGM. She promotes proactive awareness campaigns and underscores the importance of educating males, who frequently occupy positions of authority within households, regarding the severe ramifications of female genital mutilation (FGM).
Sarr expressed concern over the lack of comprehension exhibited by specific individuals, including members of the National Assembly, who advocate for the abolition of the FGM law despite being unaware of its detrimental consequences.
Lamin Ceesay, a member of the National Assembly who represents a constituency with a high prevalence of female genital mutilation, is among the proponents of the ban’s revocation on religious and constitutional grounds.
When queried about the rationale for placing religion above the innumerable lives of women impacted by FGM, Ceesay insisted that evidence and data be used to support their claims that the practice is detrimental. He stated, “We require statistics to determine how this impacts them.”
FGM concealed
A press release from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare of The Gambia highlights the nation’s advancements in the fight against female genital mutilation (FGM) since the 1980s.
While endorsing the prohibition, the government has declared its intention to ensure that the private members’ bill undergoes the appropriate parliamentary procedure in accordance with democratic values and the rule of law.
However, despite concerted efforts to eradicate the practice, 73% of women aged 15-49 in the country are still subjected to FGM, highlighting the ongoing difficulties.
Sarjo, 34, and her four-year-old daughter are among the innocent victims who continue to endure silent agony as a result of this practice, despite the 2015 law going into effect.
Sarjo, a solitary parent hailing from Brikama, a major urban centre in The Gambia, given birth to her daughter, vowed vehemently to safeguard her daughter from the abhorrent acts and categorically declined to subject her to the custom.
Unfortunately, her confidence was violated when her daughter was forcibly subjected to FGM. Sarjo abandoned her daughter with the family of the child’s father and had her paternal grandmother arrange for her to be circumcised one year ago.
The profound distress and betrayal that Sarjo experienced upon learning the truth continues to trouble her.
“My daughter was instructed not to disclose the incident to me or anyone else, so she abstained from doing so.” “I discovered it when she contracted an infection,” she recalled with a quivering voice.
Sarjo reported the incident at multiple police stations; however, she was informed that none of them charged her with the offence. She felt betrayed once more, this time by those who were entrusted with the restoration of justice.
Sarjo was one of the women who responded to the vote to repeal the FGM prohibition by gathering outside of parliament. Additionally, she educates other mothers so that they do not expose their daughters to this detrimental practice.
However, amidst the resistance, there are vocal individuals determined to preserve the practice.
Encouragement in spite of the prohibition
In August of last year, three women were fined for performing FGM on eight neonate girls, making them the first individuals to be convicted under the anti-FGM legislation.
In September, the esteemed Gambian Islamic leader Imam Abdoulie Fatty generated significant attention with his unprecedented action of settling the $120 penalties for each of the three convicted women, amounting to 15,000 dalasi.
Despite the prohibition, the women, including the circumciser Mba-Yasin Fatty, were observed engaging in FGM-related activities in the village of Niani Bakadagi, located in the Central River Region of the nation.
Anti-FGM and women’s rights activists were indignantdened by Imam Fatty’s endorsement of FGM, which was evidenced by his association with the convicted women.
He also defiantly declared his intention to continue advocating for FGM and challenged authorities to intervene in a video that was extensively shared on social media.
In spite of legislative endeavours to classify the practice as unlawful and enforce sanctions, Imam Fatty maintains an unwavering position, considering it an essential component of Islamic tradition.
In spite of legal prohibitions, his actions have reignited discussions regarding FGM, highlighting the ongoing struggle to eradicate the practice.
The prospects for female Gambians
Subsequent to the March 18 vote, the measure aiming to repeal the prohibition of FGM was referred to a committee of the legislature for additional examination.
The committee phase will involve the active participation of stakeholders, the gathering of public input, and the consultation of experts from relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Gender, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Justice. Following this, the legislation will be revised and re-voted on, a procedure that may extend for several weeks or even months.
In the interim, the prospects for Gambian women and girls remain uncertain.
Strong opposition has been expressed by the Gambia Bar Association (GBA) to the proposed repeal of the 2015 law. As stated by the GBA, the act of repealing the law would violate international and regional human rights treaties and undermine the nation’s dedication to protecting the rights of girls and women.
The GBA stated, “The law remains in effect until and unless repealed; therefore, it should be obeyed,” and urged the inspector general of police to strictly enforce it.
Despite this, numerous survivors of the practice and rights activists continue to be concerned.
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As Fatou regarded her nine-month-old at her residence in Bundung, she perceived a future brimming with potential and promise, yet one that presently appeared more precarious.
She whispered, “I envision a world in which my daughter can mature fearlessly,” as she traced the outline of her daughter’s tiny hand with her fingertips.
Sarata suffers from comparable anxieties. She perceives the potential revocation of the law as a disconcerting nightmare that obliterates the bright future of Gambian females.
Each smile and laugh of her daughters while they play beside her is an indication of the hope that flickers within them and a reminder of why Sarata is fighting to maintain the ban: “They are my soul and heart.
