Parliamentarians within the West African nation voted on Monday to reject a invoice that sought to overturn a 2015 legislation in opposition to the dangerous observe, which includes reducing or eradicating some or the entire exterior feminine genitalia.
FGM is usually carried out on infants and younger ladies. It may possibly inflict extreme rapid and long-term bodily and psychological injury, together with an infection, later childbearing problems, and post-traumatic stress dysfunction.
Dedication to rights and well-being
“Following the vote right this moment by the Nationwide Meeting of The Gambia, we commend the nation’s determination to uphold the ban on Feminine Genital Mutilation (FGM), reaffirming its commitments to human rights, gender equality, and defending the well being and well-being of women and girls,” the UN officers mentioned in a joint statement.
“We stay steadfast in our dedication to help the federal government, civil society, and communities in The Gambia within the battle in opposition to FGM.”
The assertion was issued by Catherine Russell, Govt Director of the UN Youngsters’s Fund (UNICEF); Natalia Kanem, Govt Director of the UN Inhabitants Fund (UNFPA); Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-Common of the World Well being Group (WHO); Sima Bahous, Govt Director of UN Women, and Volker Türk. The UN Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights.
Individually, UN Deputy Secretary-Common Amina Mohammed additionally hailed the choice in a post on social media.
‘Parliament has spoken’: Deputy UN chief
“A monumental achievement by Gambia for his or her girls and ladies. Parliament has spoken for his or her rights by upholding the legislation banning FGM,” she wrote on X, previously Twitter.
The UN Secretary-Common’s Particular Consultant on Violence Towards Youngsters, Najat Maalla M’jid, additionally took to the platform to welcome this “key determination”.
Sustaining the FGM ban aligns with The Gambia’s worldwide and regional commitments to forestall dangerous practices in opposition to women and girls, the assertion by the 5 officers mentioned.
Reward for grassroots efforts
Additionally they counseled the tireless efforts of survivors, activists, civil society organizations, and faith-based teams working to stamp out FGM.
“Upholding the ban helps these grassroots initiatives, that are pivotal in ending all types of violence, together with dangerous practices, in opposition to women and girls and delivering a safer and more healthy future for women and girls in The Gambia and elsewhere,” they mentioned.
The fragility of progress in the direction of ending FGM can’t be overstated as assaults on girls’s and ladies’ rights in nations around the globe have put hard-won good points in peril, they pressured.
“In some nations, developments have stalled or reversed due pushback in opposition to ladies’ and girls’s rights, instability, and battle, disrupting providers and prevention programmes,” they famous.
Whereas legislative bans are “an important basis for interventions”, the UN officers had been adamant that they alone can not finish FGM. They mentioned greater than 73 per cent of women and girls aged 15 to 49 in The Gambia have already undergone the observe, many earlier than the age of 5.
‘We should not relaxation’
Current months have emphasised the necessity for continued advocacy to advance gender equality, finish violence in opposition to women and girls, and safe the good points made to speed up progress to finish FGM, the assertion continued.
“It additionally underscores the significance of participating with communities and grassroots organizations, working with conventional, political, and spiritual leaders, coaching well being staff, and elevating consciousness successfully on the harms brought on by the observe,” they mentioned.
They pressured that supporting survivors “stays as pressing as ever”, noting that many endure from long-term bodily and psychological hurt that may end result from the process, and want complete medical and psychological care to heal.
Underlining their dedication to help the Authorities, civil society, and communities in The Gambia, the officers mentioned “collectively, we should not relaxation till we be certain that all women and girls can reside free from violence and dangerous practices and that their rights, bodily integrity, and dignity are upheld.
