Attempted Repeal of Ban on Female Genital Cutting in Gambia
Lawmakers in Gambia referred an attempted repeal of the 2015 ban on female genital cutting for further committee discussions, sparking concerns from activists about the protection of girls and women in the largely Muslim country.
Key Points
- Female genital cutting involves partial or full removal of external genitalia, causing serious health risks
- Activists fear the repeal would lead to a rollback of progress in protecting women's rights
- Religious conservatives support the repeal citing religious and cultural reasons
- Global efforts to end female genital cutting are ongoing with support from the United States
Cons
- Overturn years of work to protect girls and women
- Hurt efforts against harmful practice often performed on young girls
- Potential risk of repealing other laws safeguarding women's rights