Legislation to Lift Ban on Female Genital Mutilation Rejected by Gambian Parliament

Gambia’s parliament rejected a bill that would have ended the ban on female genital mutilation (FGM), after lawmakers voted down all the clauses in the proposed law. The Ministry of Information stated that the ban on FGM is still firmly maintained in the country, and the government stands firm in its resolve to eliminate this harmful practice.

The bill sparked a public debate about FGM for the first time in the West African nation, which divided villages, families, and parliament. The World Health Organization (WHO) claims that FGM has no health benefits and can lead to excessive bleeding, shock, psychological problems, and even death.

The bill had passed a second reading in March with only five out of 53 lawmakers voting against it, raising concerns among rights advocates that Gambia would become the first to reverse a ban on the practice. After holding weeks of public hearings, parliament’s health and gender affairs committees presented a joint report on July 8 recommending that Gambia maintain the ban. Lawmakers adopted the report by a vote of 35 to 17, with two abstentions.

Parliament voted again on each of the bill’s clauses ahead of a third and final reading scheduled for July 24. Around 30 MPs voted against each clause, prompting Parliament Speaker Fabakary Tombong Jatta to stop the bill moving forward to the final reading. Anti-FGM activist Fatou Baldeh expressed relief but disappointment at the bill’s consideration. Gambian legal scholar Satang Nabaneh said the bill’s rejection showed Gambia’s commitment to international and human rights obligations.