Gambian parliament upholds ban on female genital mutilation, rejects attempt to overturn historic ruling

In a historic move, Gambia’s parliament has voted to uphold a law banning female genital mutilation (FGM) despite pushback from religious groups. If successful, Gambia would have been the first country to re-legalize FGM after criminalizing it. Parliament Speaker Fabakary Jatta ruled out any possibility of the bill passing without clauses seeking to repeal the ban. The law was first implemented in 2015 by former president Yahya Jammeh, imposing fines and prison sentences for those involved in FGM. Despite the ban, FGM is still practiced in parts of the country, with recent cases leading to convictions and fines for perpetrators. This move has been criticized by human rights organizations and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who described FGM as “horrific.” The fight against FGM continues in Gambia, with advocates pushing for the protection of women’s rights.