Analysis - The Gambia's ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) since 2015 is under threat. Proposed changes before parliament could permit medicalised female genital cutting and allow it for consenting adults.
The Gambia's criminalisation of FGM was not the first in west Africa but it came as a surprise. The president at the time, Yahya Jammeh, declared theprovided a framework for combating domestic violence in all its forms and protection in particular for women and children. Theexpanded the definition of rape, broadened the circumstances in which individuals could be charged, and reduced the burden of proof in prosecutions., these reforms were all central to international donor interests.
His tactical stance highlighted a broader trend. Autocratic African leaders often accommodate global gender norms to maintain domestic power dynamics. The result, for example, isThe Gambia experience also shows that western donors and multilateral institutions need to go beyond just pushing for reforms. Once they have got the reforms they advocated for, they should have a strategy for sustaining them. Forces that were opposed to the reform often regroup to campaign for its removal.
From a feminist perspective, the prevalence of FGM in numerous African nations revolves around upholding gender-specific norms and exerting control over women's sexuality.. These include severe pain, bleeding, infections and complications during childbirth and elevated rates of anxiety and other mental health disorders. This has led toThe Gambia's current struggle with the FGM ban reflects a complex interplay between cultural norms, religious beliefs, and the fight for gender equality.
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