Lawmakers in Gambia have rejected a bill that sought to overturn the country’s ban on female genital mutilation (FGM), marking a significant victory for activists working to end the harmful practice. This decision came after months of intense debate in the country, where more than half of women and girls aged 15 to 49 have undergone the procedure, according to United Nations (UN) estimates.

The proposed bill, which would have made Gambia the first country in the world to reverse an FGM ban, was closely monitored by activists and human rights groups globally. FGM involves the partial or complete removal of external female genitalia and is often performed by traditional practitioners using rudimentary tools like razor blades. The practice is deeply rooted in cultural beliefs around sexual purity and control, and it is primarily carried out on girls under the age of five in many African regions. FGM can cause severe health complications, including excessive bleeding, infections, childbirth issues, and even death.

Despite these dangers, religious conservatives in Gambia had advocated for lifting the ban, claiming the practice was an Islamic virtue. However, the rejection of the bill by Gambian lawmakers prevents any changes to the current ban, which was unexpectedly imposed in 2015 by then-President Yahya Jammeh.

For survivors and activists, the vote is a major relief, although it highlights the need for further action. Absa Samba, an activist and survivor, expressed her joy after the vote, but emphasized that this is only the beginning of the work to eradicate the practice. Similarly, Fatou Baldeh, another survivor, noted the emotional toll of the past 11 months, questioning why they were forced to relive their trauma just because men doubted the harm caused by FGM.

Despite the ban, enforcement has been weak in Gambia, with only two cases prosecuted since its introduction. Many women and girls continue to be subjected to FGM, and activists are calling for more public education on its health risks and better implementation of the law to prevent the practice from being carried out in secrecy.

Globally, more than 30 million women have undergone FGM in the past eight years, with the majority in Africa, but also in parts of Asia and the Middle East, according to UNICEF. Over 80 countries, including South Africa, India, Iran, and Ethiopia, have laws prohibiting the practice. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has reiterated that no religious text condones FGM and that it offers no health benefits, only long-term psychological and physical harm, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and chronic pain.

This decision in Gambia serves as a crucial step forward in the ongoing fight to end FGM, but as activists stress, much more remains to be done to protect girls and women from this harmful tradition