Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injuries to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons, and it has been tagged a violation of girls and women’s rights in the Western world and certain African countries. FGM is a controversial topic that has been debated in different institutions and parliaments. A recent visit on the topic is the deliberation in the Gambian parliament.
On March 18, 2024, the Gambian lawmakers debated on whether or not to repeal a previous ban on female genital mutilation. The bill to ban the practice was passed in 2015, however, Gambian is set to become the first country to reverse a ban on FGM. The predominantly male parliament of 47 members got a 42 to 4 vote to reverse the ban. The Gambian National Assembly moves to reverse the ban to “uphold religious loyalty and safeguard cultural norms and values.”
