Gambian police have charged three women in connection with the death of a one-month-old baby girl following a botched female genital mutilation (FGM) procedure — a case that has sparked national outrage and renewed debate over the country’s decade-old ban. The lead suspect, accused of carrying out the cutting, faces life imprisonment under the Women’s (Amendment) Act, 2015, which criminalises all forms of FGM. She has been remanded in custody. Two other women, accused of aiding the procedure, have been released on bail.
Authorities say the baby died shortly after undergoing FGM in a rural community, highlighting the ongoing prevalence of the practice despite its official prohibition since 2015. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) condemned the incident as a “wake-up call,” warning that FGM is not only a criminal offence but also a serious human rights violation with potentially fatal consequences.
The case has reignited tensions in The Gambia’s ongoing debate over FGM. Last year, lawmakers rejected a controversial bill that sought to repeal the ban, which would have made The Gambia the first country in the world to reverse national legislation against the practice.
