On Monday, Gambia’s parliament rejected a bill that aimed to lift the ban on female genital mutilation (FGM). After voting down all clauses in the proposed law, Parliament Speaker Fabakary Tombong Jatta announced the decision.
The bill, which had passed a second reading in March with minimal opposition (five out of 53 lawmakers voting against it), raised concerns among rights groups about Gambia potentially becoming the first country to reverse a ban on FGM.
During the vote on each clause ahead of the third and final reading scheduled for July 24, a majority of lawmakers voted against every clause. Consequently, Speaker Jatta halted the bill’s progress.
“The (National) Assembly cannot be engaged in such a futile exercise as to allow the bill to proceed to a third reading,” Jatta stated after the votes. “The bill is rejected, and the legislative process exhausted.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) has consistently emphasized that FGM has no health benefits and can result in severe consequences, including excessive bleeding, shock, psychological issues, and even death.
