Girls rally in support of their rights outside the National Assembly. (Photo by Starfish International)
Banjul, The Gambia, 28 March 2024 | We, the undersigned girl-centered organizations, vehemently oppose the ongoing efforts to repeal the ban against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in The Gambia. FGM—the partial or total removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons—is a profoundly harmful practice that violates the rights and dignity of girls. It is a form of violence that often results in long-term physical and psychological consequences.
The Women’s (Amendment) Act of 2015 is a crucial legislation, protecting the rights and well-being of girls in The Gambia. Reversing this significant step forward in ensuring girls' safety and health would constitute a grave injustice and a regression in the fight for gender equality and human rights.
"As the National Assembly tables the Bill to repeal the anti-FGM law, we remind the National Assembly Members that FGM is a human rights violation. Legislation protecting the bodily autonomy and well-being of women & girls should NOT be up for debate,” said Awa Gai, a human rights lawyer and the founder of She Awards Gambia.
“For the past 15 years, Starfish International has been dedicated to uplifting and empowering Gambian girls through education, advocacy, community service, and girl-centered programming in order to help them find their voices and use them in the most effective ways. For us at Starfish, it is our greatest desire to protect women and girls and create safe spaces for them and anything that becomes a threat to their safety becomes our business. The issue of FGM/C is a threat to the safety of girls and women and therefore a critical obstacle in our work and service.”
“Therefore, as the Bill advances to the committee stage for deeper scrutiny, we stand united with civil society organizations in our country, and our partners and collaborators such as She’s The First, in our fight for justice, dignity, and the unequivocal protection of women's rights. We will continue to amplify our voices alongside other women and girls and men in the fight demanding lawmakers to uphold the criminalization of FGM/C.”
- Starfish International
Women and girls rally in support of their legal protections against FGM/C in Banjul, The Gambia. (Photo by Starfish International)
FGM inflicts severe physical and psychological harm on its victims, often resulting in lifelong consequences, including chronic pain, infection, complications during childbirth, and trauma. The practice perpetuates gender inequality and reinforces harmful stereotypes against girls and women. FGM is a harmful practice that infringes on the rights to health, bodily integrity, and freedom from violence and discrimination of girls.
“FGM, or Female Genital Mutilation, is a harmful practice that should be condemned. It violates the rights and well-being of girls and women. Let's spread awareness and work towards ending it together. I am a girl and my voice deserves to be heard. All women and girls deserve the right to protection of their fundamental human right,” said Fatoumatta Gaye, a student in The Gambia and a member of the She’s the First Girls Advisory Council.
We stand in solidarity with all FGM survivors, activists, and civil society organizations working tirelessly to eradicate FGM globally. We urge the Government of The Gambia to uphold its commitment to protecting the rights of women and girls by maintaining the ban on FGM and implementing robust measures to enforce it.
This fight to ensure the well-being of girls extends far beyond the borders of The Gambia. In view of this, lifting the ban against FGM in The Gambia would mark a regressive step that could set a dangerous precedent, with grave implications for girls' rights worldwide.
“We recognize that this issue is far from over and the problem is yet to be solved. We are encouraged by the collaborations we see and continue to be part of. And finally, we continue to focus on education and a dedication to the qualities of nobility, independence, knowledge, courtesy, and service,” said representatives from Starfish International.
We call on the international community to join us in condemning any attempt to repeal the ban against FGM in The Gambia and to support efforts to end FGM in a generation. Individuals can show their support for the #StopFGMRepeal movement by signing this petition written by Nala Feminist Collective.
Together, we can create a world where every girl can choose her own future and live a life of dignity, free from the threat of FGM and all forms of gender-based violence.
