FGM in The Gambia

FGM in The Gambia: A Baby’s Death That Must Change the World

Introduction

On 11 August 2025, international headlines reported the death of a one-month-old baby girl in The Gambia after what is believed to be female genital mutilation (FGM). She was taken to Bundung Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Banjul with severe bleeding. Doctors could not save her.

Police have arrested two women and are carrying out an autopsy. FGM is banned in The Gambia and more than 70 countries. However, laws without action fail, and girls, some only days old, continue to suffer. As I have said before:

“That baby girl in The Gambia was not lost to tradition, she was murdered by it. Until we name it for what it is, we will keep failing the children we promised to protect.” — Aneeta Prem MBE

“The baby girl in The Gambia was not lost to tradition; she was murdered by it. Until we name it for what it is, we will keep failing the children we promised to protect.”

FGM: A global and local crisis

FGM is the partial or complete removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. Supporters often claim it is linked to culture, tradition, or religion. In reality, it has no health benefits and causes permanent harm. The World Health Organisation confirms it damages physical and mental health for life.

Globally, more than 200 million women and girls live with the consequences of FGM. In The Gambia, UNICEF reports that 72–76% of women and girls aged 15–49 have undergone the procedure. Many were cut before the age of six. In high-prevalence countries, one in four girls is cut before her fifth birthday.

The Women’s (Amendment) Act 2015 made FGM a crime in The Gambia. The penalty is up to three years in prison and a life sentence if a girl dies. Even so, in the ten years since the ban, there have been only two prosecutions and one conviction.

Why it continues

Rights groups warn that more parents are cutting infants. They believe babies heal faster and that this hides the crime.

The reasons given — social acceptance, myths about hygiene, preserving virginity, and making a girl “marriageable” — all amount to control over a girl’s body and future. As Women In Leadership and Liberation have said, culture is no excuse, and tradition is no shield. This is violence.

A Gambian survivor told UNICEF: “I was cut before I could walk. My body healed, but my spirit never has.” Her words capture the truth for millions — the harm does not end when the bleeding stops.

How Freedom’s  work connects

I have spent my career challenging abuse that hides behind culture and family honour. My book, Cut Flowers, brought hidden crimes into the open and showed how silence can be deadly. Young people and professionals on how to end FGM and how to be protected from it.

Through the Red Triangle campaign, Freedom Charity gave young people a discreet way to ask for help without speaking. This same idea can save girls from FGM. With the right training, teachers, midwives, and community leaders can spot the warning signs and step in early.

The prevention and safeguarding models we use in UK schools can be adapted to work internationally. They can give local communities the tools to protect their girls.

Progress and pushback

On 11 August 2025, this case brought The Gambia’s FGM debate back into the spotlight. Protesters have gathered outside parliament to defend the ban. At the same time, pro-FGM groups are lobbying to reverse it. Campaigners, lawmakers, and citizens are demanding stronger law enforcement and better protection for girls.

In 2024 and 2025, parliament rejected attempts to repeal the ban. However, without regular prosecutions and protection for those who report offences, the law will remain weak. The trend towards cutting infants makes it even harder to stop.

This challenge is not unique to The Gambia. Across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, FGM continues despite legal bans. Stopping it requires a united, global response.

A roadmap for change

  1. Enforce the law

    • Raise the number of prosecutions from one to at least ten a year within three years.

    • Create safe, confidential reporting channels.

  2. Educate communities

    • Work with faith and cultural leaders to dispel myths.

    • Fund survivor-led outreach in both rural and urban areas.

  3. Support survivors

    • Provide trauma-informed healthcare and counselling.

    • Train at least 200 midwives and nurses to detect and report FGM within two years.

  4. Work together globally

    • Share successful strategies from countries with falling FGM rates.

    • Secure international funding for enforcement and prevention work.

Why this matters to everyone

From UK classrooms to rural Gambian villages, the same principles apply: prevention, protection, and prosecution. Freedom Charity’s work proves that awareness followed by action saves lives.

This baby’s death must not be another statistic in a report. It should be the moment when the world agrees that every girl has the right to grow up free from fear and violence. That right cannot be taken away.

Conclusion

I will continue to challenge the beliefs, systems, and silences that allow FGM to happen. Whether through Cut Flowers, the Red Triangle, or Freedom Charity’s daily work, my aim remains the same. Every girl has the right to life, safety, and dignity.

Frequently asked questions

What is FGM?
Female genital mutilation is the partial or complete removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. It has no health benefits and causes lasting harm.

Why is FGM still happening in The Gambia?
Even with a legal ban in place since 2015, cultural and social pressures, combined with weak enforcement, mean that it remains common. Many girls are cut before they are six years old, and there is a growing trend of cutting infants.

Is FGM illegal worldwide?
More than 70 countries have banned FGM. However, enforcement is inconsistent, and the practice is still common in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

How can I help ?

Donate to Freedom charity today

References

FGM The Gambia