Lawmakers within the West African nation on Monday voted down a invoice looking for to overturn a 2015 legislation focusing on the dangerous follow involving reducing or eradicating half or the entire feminine exterior genitalia.
Feminine genital mutilation is especially carried out on infants and teenage women. It might probably trigger extreme fast and long-term bodily and psychological injury, together with infections, subsequent reproductive issues, and post-traumatic stress dysfunction.
Dedication to rights and well-being
“Following in the present day’s vote in The Gambia’s Nationwide Meeting, we applaud the nation’s choice to uphold the ban on feminine genital mutilation (FGM), Reaffirming dedication to human rights, gender equality and defending the well being and well-being of women and girls“, U.N. officers mentioned in a joint assertion.
“We stay steadfast in our dedication to help the Gambian authorities, civil society and communities within the battle in opposition to feminine genital mutilation.”
The assertion was issued by Catherine Russell, Chief Govt of the United Nations Kids’s Fund (UNICEF); Natalia Kanem, Chief Govt of the United Nations Inhabitants Fund (UNFPA); Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-Common of the World Well being Group (WHO); Sima Bahous and Volker Türk, Govt Administrators of UN Ladies. United Nations Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights.
As well as, United Nations Deputy Secretary-Common Amina Mohammed additionally posted on social media praising the choice.
UN Deputy Secretary-Common: “Parliaments have spoken”
“Gambia’s nice achievements for ladies and women. Parliament defends their rights by upholding the legislation banning feminine genital mutilation,” she wrote on X (previously Twitter).
The UN Secretary-Common’s Particular Consultant on Violence in opposition to Kids, Najat Malla Mjid, additionally welcomed the “essential choice” from the rostrum.
Sustaining the ban on feminine genital mutilation is consistent with The Gambia’s worldwide and regional commitments to forestall dangerous practices in opposition to women and girls, 5 officers mentioned in a press release.
Thumbs up for grassroots efforts
In addition they counseled survivors, activists, civil society organizations and religion teams for his or her tireless efforts to eradicate feminine genital mutilation.
“Upholding the ban helps these grassroots initiatives, that are important to ending all types of violencetogether with dangerous practices that concentrate on women and girls, and supply a safer and more healthy future for women and girls in The Gambia and elsewhere,” they mentioned.
They careworn that the fragility of progress in the direction of ending feminine genital mutilation can’t be overstated, as violations of the rights of girls and women around the globe have put hard-won features in danger.
“In some international locations, progress has stalled or reversed course on women and girls’s rights, instability and battle have disrupted providers and prevention programmes,” they be aware.
Whereas legislative bans are “an essential foundation for intervention,” UN officers insist they alone can’t finish feminine genital mutilation. they are saying greater than 73% of women and girls aged 15 to 49 in The Gambia have undergone this followmany earlier than the age of 5.
“We will not relaxation”
The assertion continued that in current months, the necessity to proceed advocating for gender equality, ending violence in opposition to women and girls and guaranteeing progress in the direction of accelerating the tip of feminine genital mutilation has been highlighted.
“It additionally highlights the significance of working with neighborhood and grassroots organizations, working with conventional, political and spiritual leaders to coach well being employees and successfully increase consciousness of the harms brought on by this follow,” they mentioned.
They careworn that supporting survivors “stays as pressing as ever”, noting Many individuals undergo long-term bodily and psychological hurt This can be the results of surgical procedure and requires complete medical and psychological care to heal.
Officers underlined their dedication to supporting the Gambian authorities, civil society and communities, saying: “We should work collectively to make sure that all women and girls are shielded from violence and dangerous practices and that their rights, bodily integrity are ensured , dignity is maintained.
