The Gambia Contemplates Repealing FGM Ban Amid Global Backlash Against Women's Rights

As The Gambia debates lifting its landmark ban on female genital mutilation, widespread protests and personal testimonies highlight the stakes in a broader fight for gender equality.

• The Gambia faces potential repeal of its 2015 ban on female genital mutilation (FGM), stirring widespread concern and protests.
• Mothers and activists are at the forefront of efforts to protect girls from FGM, sharing personal stories of trauma and advocating for the ban's preservation.
• Legislators who support lifting the ban cite religious and cultural freedoms, while rights groups emphasize the practice's harm to women's physical and mental health.
• Despite the ban, FGM continues secretly, with a recent increase in prevalence among girls under 14 years old.
• The global trend of eroding women's rights is reflected in The Gambia's consideration to allow FGM again, raising fears of reversing hard-won gains in gender equality.

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Semafor Al Jazeera The Conversation