PLANS to reverse the ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) in The Gambia, which has been outlawed since 2015, have sparked concerns raised by UN representatives, cautioning against a potential ‘dangerous precedent.’ Legislators in The Gambia have begun considering the reversal, prompting UNICEF and UNFPA officials to issue a joint warning on Friday.
Nafisa Binte Shafique, UNICEF’s representative for children’s agency, and Ndeye Rose Sarr, representative for sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA, expressed apprehension over the proposed reversal. They highlighted the risk of The Gambia becoming the first country to backtrack on its commitment to combat FGM, describing it as a setback for human rights and gender equality.
‘Adopting the law would set a dangerous precedent and make The Gambia the first country in the world to have stepped back from such commitments,’ the UN representatives cautioned in a joint statement. ‘It sends a message that the rights and dignity of girls and women are expendable, perpetuating a cycle of discrimination and violence that has no place in a just and equitable society.’
The Gambia’s ban on FGM in 2015 has been hailed as a significant milestone in safeguarding the rights of girls and women. UN officials underscored the ban’s role as ‘a beacon of hope for countless girls’ and urged the country to uphold its existing legislation.
According to a recent UNICEF report, over 230 million women and girls worldwide have undergone FGM practices, with The Gambia recording high prevalence rates. The report indicates that 73 percent of Gambian girls and women aged 15 to 49 have undergone genital mutilation, a statistic that has remained consistent over the past three decades.
FGM, as defined by UNICEF, involves the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The practice poses significant health risks, including infections, bleeding, infertility, childbirth complications, and a reduction in sexual pleasure.
As debates surrounding the potential reversal of the FGM ban continue, UN agencies emphasise the critical importance of upholding legislation to protect the rights and well-being of girls and women in The Gambia and globally.