Gambia Lawmakers Move Forward On Bill to Reverse FGM Ban

Gambian lawmakers voted 42 in favor and four against to send the FGM ban reversal bill to a parliamentary committee. Activists warn that the bill will harm Gambia's human rights record and roll back years of progress.lawmakers voted on Monday to advance to the next parliamentary stage a bill reverse the ban on female genital mutilation , which has been in place since 2015.

Jaha Dukureh, an anti-FGM campaigner in Gambia, said she was confident the bill would be voted down but that activists like herself faced an uphill battle. Dukureh and others protested outside parliament during the debate., imposing fines and jail sentence for those who carry the act. Jammeh believed the practice was outdated and not required under Islam.

Three women were fined last August for carrying out FGM on eight infant girls, becoming the first people convicted under the law. The World Health Organization says female circumcision has no health benefits and can lead to excessive bleeding, shock, psychological problems and death.

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Amnesty International urges Gambia's parliament to vote against bill reversing ban on FGMAmnesty International's senior researcher expresses concern over the upcoming vote in Gambia's parliament on a bill to reverse the ban on female genital mutilation (FGM), stating that it would set a dangerous precedent for women's rights and tarnish Gambia's human rights record. The organization urges parliament to vote against the bill and calls on the Gambian government to address the root causes of FGM and implement comprehensive policies for women and girls' empowerment.
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