The Gambia: Infant, aged one month, dies following female genital mutilation procedure

Image: Jihad Watch

Human rights advocates in The Gambia are urgently demanding justice following the tragic death of a one-month-old infant, reportedly due to complications from female genital mutilation (FGM), a widely practiced but illegal procedure currently under scrutiny by the nation’s Supreme Court. The case has reignited fierce debates about the persistence of this deeply entrenched cultural and religious practice, which critics denounce as a severe violation of the rights and well-being of women and girls.

According to UNICEF’s 2024 data, The Gambia has one of the highest prevalence rates of FGM globally, with approximately 73 percent of women and girls aged 15 to 49 having been subjected to the procedure. The infant, who passed away in the capital city of Banjul, was pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital after allegedly undergoing circumcision, which led to uncontrollable bleeding, as reported by The Gambia Police Force in a statement released on Sunday.

The incident has provoked widespread condemnation from women’s rights activists, who argue that FGM is not merely a cultural or religious tradition but a dangerous form of gender-based violence with potentially lethal consequences. Santana Simiyu, a human rights lawyer with Equality Now, emphasized this point in a statement to AFP on Tuesday, declaring, “FGM is not a cultural tradition to be defended — it is a form of gender-based violence that can kill.” Her words underscore the urgency of addressing the practice, which continues to endanger lives despite its prohibition.

The Gambia Police Force has detained two women allegedly connected to the incident, and an investigation is underway in Wellingara, a town in the western region where the procedure reportedly took place. The case highlights the ongoing challenges in enforcing the country’s ban on FGM, which was first enacted in 2015 under the regime of former dictator Yahya Jammeh. Jammeh, now in exile, declared FGM an outdated practice not mandated by Islam, leading to the adoption of a law that criminalized it, with penalties of up to three years in prison. However, enforcement of this law has been inconsistent, allowing the practice to persist in many communities.

A 2023 study by researchers at the University of Birmingham estimated that FGM contributes to the deaths of approximately 44,320 girls and young women annually across countries where it is practiced, underscoring the global scale of the issue. In The Gambia, despite the 2015 ban, cultural and religious pressures have sustained the practice, and in July 2024, lawmakers faced significant pushback from traditionalists advocating for its legalization. Nevertheless, parliament upheld the prohibition, reaffirming the country’s commitment to eradicating FGM. However, the law’s validity is now under review by the Gambian Supreme Court, where a petition challenging the ban is pending, leaving the future of FGM legislation uncertain.

This tragic incident has galvanized activists, who are calling for stronger enforcement of the existing law, greater public awareness of FGM’s dangers, and a definitive ruling from the Supreme Court to uphold the ban and protect the rights and lives of women and girls across The Gambia.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)