Gambia’s Lawmakers Vote Down Bill Seeking to Overturn FGM Ban

Gambia’s parliament has rejected a bill to overturn the 2015 ban on female genital mutilation (FGM), contrasting with the majority approval when it was introduced in March. Speaker Fabakary Tombong Jatta announced the results, stating that a majority of MPs voted against the bill even before its third and final reading later this month. The bill had been introduced by MP Almameh Gibba, under pressure from prominent Muslim clerics. With 73% of women and girls aged 15 to 49 having undergone the procedure, Gambia has one of the highest rates of FGM in the world. Consequently, the bill’s rejection will be welcomed by human rights groups and the UN, which had urged lawmakers to block it. The 2015 ban imposes fines and jail terms of up to three years, with life sentences if a girl dies as a result, on those who engage in the practice.

SOURCE: BBC