Anti-FGM campaigner on consensus to stop the practice
The Gambia is said to have made great strides in the fight against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), but more challenges lie ahead, said the Executive Director of the Gambia Committee Against Harmful Traditional Practices (GAMCOTRAP), Dr. Isatou Tourey.
“We have three regions that have reached consensus to stop Female Genital Mutilation so we are now focusing on the remaining regions,” Toure told West Africa Democracy Radio (WADR) on Tuesday.
She spoke of the significance of the international day for zero tolerance against FGM, which was celebrated on Monday February 6, 2012.
But supporters of the traditional practice say it’s necessary in order to reduce the chances of sexual promiscuity as it significantly reduces sexual arousal in young girls and women.
“For the Gambia, we have ratified almost all the conventions that protect girls and women from FGM,” Toure said.
The anti FGM campaigner said there is a misconception about the dangers of FGM and it has to be cleared through education, awareness creation and sensitization.
Although the fight against this traditional practice is on the rise in the Gambia and some other African countries, there is still more work to be done.
NGOs in Africa campaigning against FGM in Africa are believed to be getting huge financial backing from the United Nations and international donor, but FGM is still being practiced in many places in Africa.
WADR’s Frank Sainworla interviews the GAMCOTRAP executive on how much progress has been made in the Gambia in the fight against FGM.
Click audio below to listen
Tweet
