16th July 2024
Protect anti-FGM legislation:
The Gambia must safeguard the Women’s (Amendment) Act, 2015, which criminalises FGM, by preventing any repeal efforts and strengthening it to explicitly prohibit medicalised and cross-border FGM.Strengthen enforcement and accountability:
Improve implementation of anti-FGM and child marriage laws by increasing prosecutions, training justice sector officials, and holding violators accountable, including those who incite or fund FGM practices.Increase public awareness and community engagement:
Launch sustained public education campaigns and engage religious and traditional leaders to shift cultural norms and promote the abandonment of harmful practices like FGM and child marriage.Close legal and policy gaps:
Address enforcement weaknesses, expand data collection systems, and ensure robust marriage and birth registration, particularly in rural areas, to prevent underage and unregistered marriages.