In August 2025, the Gambian courts made their first major prosecution punishing individuals performing female genital mutilation (FGM) procedures. Although Gambia has enforced a nation-wide ban since 2015, many groups continue conducting FGM procedures in secret. With the prosecution of three women from Serrekunda, Gambia who were charged for killing a one-month-old girl due to complications following the FGM procedure, the goal is to obtain justice and discourage FGM operations.
Human rights groups hailed the case as a “national wake-up call,” urging full enforcement of the law. Conservative religious and cultural groups, however, continue to defend the practice, with some calling for repeal of the ban. The case has reignited debate between advocates pushing for protection of women’s rights and opponents framing FGM as a matter of tradition and religious freedom.
Compiled From: Abdoulie John and Monika Pronczuk, “Three women in Gambia are charged in the death of one-month-old in female genital mutilation case,” Associated Press, Aug.14, 2025.