On Monday 28 December 2015, the National Assembly of Gambia adopted the Women’s Amendment Bill 2015 which bans Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and sets strict penalties for offenders. According to the bill, a person who engages in female circumcision could face up to three years in prison or a fine of 50,000 dalasi (£851). If the act results in death, a person could face life imprisonment. The adoption of the bill follows an executive pronouncement and decision by President Yahya Jammeh of Gambia to ban FGM.

Statement by Alvilda Jablonko, Director for Gender and Human Rights, No Peace Without Justice:
“No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) and the Nonviolent Radical Party Transnational and Transparty (NRPTT) welcome the adoption by the National Assembly of a specific legislation criminalising female genital mutilation (FGM), as an landmark in the long-standing fight undertaken by the Gambia against this violation of the human rights of women and girls.

“We are extremely pleased that Gambia now has, for the first time, a self-standing law at the national level that criminalises FGM, and enforces the constitutional right of women and children not to be subjected to practices that are harmful to their health and wellbeing.  As called for by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 69/150, ‘enacting and enforcing legislation to prohibit FGM and to protect women and girls from this form of violence, and to hold perpetrators to account’ are fundamental and crucial factors to successfully combat this form of gender-based violence, promote its elimination and protect its victims.

“The adoption of the bill is a concrete answer to the voices of the numerous communities which over the past eight years have publicly demonstrated their willingness to end FGM. It also reinforces the legitimacy and impact of the advocacy and awareness efforts carried out by civil society groups such as GAMCOTRAP under the tireless leadership of its president, Isatou Touray, to bring an end to this human rights violation.

“We urge the Gambian Government and local authorities to promptly enact its provisions to stamp out the practice once and for all and to launch a wide-scale awareness campaign to inform communities in areas where this human rights violation persists that it is not only degrading, but also a criminal offence”.

Read also:

• Gambia: NPWJ and NRPTT welcome proclamation of a ban on FGM by President Jammeh and urge the Parliament to adopt a specific legislation by the end of 2015, 24 November 2015
• National consultation in Gambia to foster the adoption of a law banning Female Genital Mutilation, Kaira Konko, Gambia, 21 May 2015
• Ban FGM Campaign
• NPWJ Gender & Human Rights Program activities

For more information, contact Alvilda Jablonko, Director of Gender and Human Rights Program, on ajablonko@npwj.org, phone: +32 494 533 915 or Nicola Giovannini, email: ngiovannini@npwj.org, phone: +32 2 548 39 15.