Community Engagement to Combat Female Genital Mutilation

Community Engagement to Combat FGM in The Gambia

In response to growing efforts to repeal The Gambia’s hard-won ban on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), the National Youth Parliament (NYP), with support from Safe Hands for Girls and African Women Rights Advocates (AWRA), organized a five-day community engagement across five constituencies Foni Berefet, Foni Jarrol, Kombo South, Brikama North, and Busumbala. The initiative reached over 150  participants, including National Assembly Members, local leaders, religious scholars, women’s groups, youth, and persons with disabilities.

Through open dialogues, medical presentations, and survivor testimonies, the program highlighted the severe health risks, human rights implications, and social impact of FGM, while fostering respectful conversations on religion, culture, and law. The engagements revealed both strong resistance and growing support for protecting girls from FGM, with many community members committing to reject the practice and share accurate information within their families and networks. This initiative demonstrates the power of grassroots dialogue and youth-led advocacy in shifting mindsets, building solidarity, and defending the national law protecting girls and women from harmful practices.

Community Engagement to Combat Female Genital Mutilation