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The death of a one-month-old baby girl in The Gambia, reportedly linked to female genital mutilation (FGM), has ignited nationwide outrage and renewed calls for stricter enforcement of the country’s anti-FGM laws.
Police confirmed that the infant was brought to a hospital in Banjul after suffering severe bleeding but was declared dead upon arrival. While the results of an autopsy are pending, many believe the cause to be directly related to FGM, a practice that has been illegal in The Gambia since 2015.
In a statement, the advocacy group Women In Leadership and Liberation (WILL) condemned the incident, declaring:
“Culture is no excuse, tradition is no shield. This is violence, pure and simple.”
Authorities have arrested two women in connection with the baby’s death. The case has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers, including Abdoulie Ceesay, the Member of Parliament for Kombo North, where the incident occurred.
“The loss of this innocent child must not be forgotten. Let it serve as a turning point for our nation to reaffirm its commitment to protecting every child’s right to life, safety, and dignity,” Ceesay urged.
FGM involves the partial or complete removal of a female’s external genitalia, typically carried out for cultural, social, or religious reasons. In The Gambia, the procedure is often justified as a way to preserve virginity, enhance marriage prospects, or align with perceived religious obligations.
Despite the legal ban, The Gambia remains among the top 10 countries with the highest rates of FGM, with 73% of women and girls aged 15 to 49 having undergone the procedure, many before the age of six.
Fatou Baldeh, founder of WILL, told the BBC that there is an alarming trend of performing FGM on infants to avoid detection.
“Parents believe babies heal faster, but they also think performing it at such a young age makes it easier to hide from authorities because of the law,” she explained.
The 2015 legislation prescribes fines and prison terms of up to three years for offenders, with life sentences if the victim dies. However, enforcement has been limited, with only two prosecutions and one conviction recorded, both in 2023.
Efforts to overturn the ban have also gained momentum, with a vocal pro-FGM lobby pushing for decriminalisation. While a repeal bill was rejected by parliament last year, campaigners warn that the movement to reverse the law remains strong.
FGM is prohibited in more than 70 countries worldwide but persists in parts of Africa, particularly in Muslim-majority nations such as The Gambia, Sudan, and Somalia. Human rights organisations consistently classify the practice as a form of gender-based violence that violates the rights to health, safety, and bodily integrity.
The tragic death of the infant has sparked renewed debate over how to eliminate FGM in The Gambia, highlighting the gap between legislation and enforcement. Advocates argue that without stronger community education, stricter law enforcement, and greater political will, the cycle of violence will continue, robbing girls of their health, dignity, and in some cases, their lives.
Source: BBC Africa