The legal action comes after two infants died in The Gambia last year due to complications from FGM. Almameh Gibba, the MP involved in the case, previously introduced a bill to parliament seeking to decriminalize FGM, but it was defeated. Pro-FGM demonstrators gathered outside the Gambian parliament building in Banjul earlier this year.
FGM, which involves altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons, is a deeply rooted cultural practice in many parts of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. According to UNICEF, it is estimated that almost 75% of women in The Gambia have undergone FGM, often during infancy. The practice is internationally recognized as a violation of human rights, specifically the rights to health, bodily integrity, and freedom from discrimination.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has documented numerous health risks associated with FGM, including severe pain, hemorrhage, infection, infertility, and psychological trauma. Despite international condemnation and national laws prohibiting the practice in many countries, FGM persists due to social norms and beliefs that it is necessary for a girl's proper upbringing and marriageability.
Fatou Baldeh, founder of the Gambian rights organization Women in Liberation Leadership, sees the current legal challenge as a setback for women's rights in the country. She and other activists argue that overturning the ban would endanger the health and well-being of girls and women and undermine efforts to eliminate FGM.
The Supreme Court case is scheduled to resume this month. The outcome will have significant implications for the future of women's rights and the fight against FGM in The Gambia. The situation is being closely monitored by international human rights organizations and women's rights advocates around the world.
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