National Youth Parliament-The Gambia 1

Myths about persist, including the harmful belief that circumcised women are cleaner and purer. This is false. Let's educate and . Uncircumcised women are equally clean and pure.

Key recommendations highlighted by the Joint Committee are ;

▶️The FGM law be maintained to protect the health and wellbeing of women and girls
▶️The practice have been linked to numerous health complications
▶️To Promote gender equality
▶️Survivors should have legal support and counselling
▶️Government to enforce law and provide Continued legal protection for women and girls
▶️To ban any attempt to medicalise the practice of FGM

Civil society organizations, activists, and religious leaders convene at the National Assembly to witness the presentation of the report on the Women Amendment Bill 2024.

Toady at The Gambia National Assembly, the Health and Gender Committee will present the report of the committee’s findings and recommendations on the Women Amendment Bill 2024. This provides members with the opportunity to discuss these findings and propose changes where needed.

Follow this page for timely updates on today’s session.

Stand up for your rights and join us in ending this harmful practice. Together, we can make a difference now.

It's time to protect our future generations by putting an end to this harmful practice . Let's stand together to ensure the safety and well-being of all women and girls.

A special thanks to our dedicated team who have been in the field hroughout the outreach. Your insights and support is greatly appreciated.

Together, let's continue our advocacy to protect the rights and dignity of women and girls everywhere.

We wrap up our community outreach and sensitisation against in Brikama. Throughout out the week, we engaged, discussed, and shared insights with young people across all 7️⃣ regions on the harmful effects of and the crucial need to uphold the ban on this practice.

We are grateful for the partnership with the Children National Assembly, supported by TANGO, throughout this campaign, which has been instrumental in reaching our goals.

We are steadfast in our commitment to end FGM and ensure a safe future for women and girls, free from all forms of gender-based violence and discrimination.

Our commitment to eradicating remains unwavering, with a focus on involving and empowering young people. We have actively engaged with the youth in to discuss the prevalence of this harmful practice and the crucial need to maintain and enforce the laws against it.

For a practice to be considered a true cultural asset, it must align with universal principles of human rights and well-being.

complications like fistula harm women's health and place a heavy toll on individuals and the health sector.

Fatoumata Krubally:

“The law should remain because there are a lot of reasons why it should be ban. I have gone through FGM and the pain I face during menstruation, only I know that.”

“Before attending sessions on FGM, I always believe it is a good practice because it prevent young girls from getting pregnant. But after the trainings I have attended, I now realise that FGM is bad and harmful”- Kaddijatou F Bah, a participant.

Mariama Sonko a participant outlined that, “I don’t want my child to suffer the same complications I went through. This is why I urge everyone to come together to ensure we eradicate this practice. My mother and grandmothers have lived the pain, and I did so I won’t allow my child to go through same pain.”

Engaging with young voices in Basse and advocating for the protection of women and girls against . Through these engagements with the community and young people, we aim to raise awareness and strengthen the fight against this harmful practice.

reinforces inequality and suffering, harming the physical and mental health of women and girls, and limiting their opportunities for education and economic advancement.

FGM perpetuates cycles of inequality and suffering, affecting the physical and mental well-being of women and girls, thus limiting their opportunities for education and economic advancement.

By addressing these deep-rooted issues, we aim to foster a greater understanding of the importance of eradicating FGM and promoting a future where every woman and girl can live free from harm and discrimination.

Yaya Jallow emphasizes the argument on the religious grounds of FGM, stating, “When Jammeh banned FGM, where were these imams who are now speaking up? They were all here, and none of them spoke up. For the NA to say they want to repeal the law is ridiculous, and the fact that it was introduced by a man makes it even more absurd.”

Mariama Sissaho believes, “The law on FGM should be strengthened and enforced so that anyone who practices it will face consequences. However, most of the time when people report cases, nothing comes of it. Law enforcement agencies need to actively implement the law.”

Emphasizing the lack of proper enforcement and implementation of the FGM law, Hon. Bilal Bah, a member of the Children National Assembly in CRR, notes, "The government is not serious about the FGM issue. When was the last time a person was prosecuted for violating this law? It was years ago. The law has been in place for so long and has not been implemented. The government needs to take a stand rather than playing with our minds.”

While participants share their views , Ebrima Sanneh narrated that, “Because of the lack of proper enforcement of the FGM law , most people in the communities lack confidence to report cases of FGM within the neighbourhood. “

Our engagement continues in Bansang, CRR, where we delve into the socio-economic factors, cultural, and social barriers that hinder the fight against FGM in The Gambia. We emphasize that many people still practice FGM due to the desire to preserve social heritage, uphold family pride, gain community acceptance, and avoid stigma.

This practice not only violates the health rights of women and girls but also has long-term impacts on their lives.

This alarming statistic underscores the urgent need for stronger enforcement of anti-FGM laws to protect the health and rights of future generations.

Our Next Stop: Jarra Soma, LRR!

We are engaging with young voices from grassroots communities to understand why it is essential to uphold the ban on !

Engaging in discussions, we found that while the majority of participants agree that the law against FGM should remain as it protects the rights and dignity of women and girls, some disagree. They argue that it is a cultural practice and, according to their parents, does not cause harm.

Despite these differing perspectives, it is essential to highlight that medical and human rights experts consistently document the severe physical, emotional, and psychological consequences of FGM. Continued education and dialogue are key to ensuring the safety and well-being of future generations.

Images presented shows the long term complications of , including infibulation and delivery challenges, depicting emotions on the faces of the participants.

“ While there may be various reasons for the practice of FGM, the claim that women who are not cut are more sexually active and get pregnant quickly is untrue. In my family, none of us are cut, and none of us got pregnant before marriage. We were all virgins when we married. Let's not use tradition as an excuse to harm our women and girls.”- Chippo Bah.

Hon. Ali S. Leigh, Member of the Children's National Assembly North Bank, said, "FGM should be banned because it causes more harm than good. Health comes first, and FGM has no benefits for our women and girls.”