By: Sulayman Waan
Gambia Committee on Harmful Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Girl-Child (GAMCOTRAP) has recruited new community based facilitators (CBF) in Wuli East, Wuli West and Sandu Districts of the Upper River Region north; held at Sareh Demba Toro and Sareh Gai on July 1st and 3rd respectively.
The recruitment of these CBFs aims to accelerate the abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation in URR\n also to help the organization in smooth coordination of its activities in these rural communities.
Addressing the participants, Musa Jallow, overseer of GAMCOTRAP director office commended the participants for responding to the call of the organization, saying recruiting community based facilitators in the region is instrumental in accelerating the abandonment of FGM.
“Therefore, we deem it essential to recruit and sensitize you on FGM matters so that we would work collectively to eliminate this harmful traditional practice in the society,” he said.
According to him, research has shown that FGM is still ongoing in the Upper River Region, adding many associated it with religion obligation but he noted that this harmful practice is neither religion obligation nor Sunnah but a prestige to women.
He enjoined the participants to sensitize their respective communities on health complication of FGM and its illegality to ensure the society abolish, adding “Discuss with the current circumcisers so as to convince them from the negative activity. You can work with them to end the practice in your respective communities because you live with them,” he said.
Mr. Jallow further told the new CBF that there is law enacted in 2015 that prohibited FGM so as safeguard the wellbeing of women in the country, adding who so ever violate this it will face the full force of the law.
On his presentation, Ebrima Njie, GAMCOTRAP youth focal person told the participants that FGM had severe health complication on women and girls’, noting it affects women during delivery, canal knowledge and menstruation period.
Njie also a health personnel appealed all and sundry to stop FGM and all forms of harmful traditional practices to ensure the welfare of women in the country.
Fatou Bojang, GAMCOTRAP field coordinator urged the CBF to work hard so that the FGM is completely abandon in the society, saying many women are always loitering around but they serious affected with FGM health effects.
Lamin Saho of Wuli Gunjur commended the organization for the recruiting and sensitizing them (participants) on FGM health consequences while said this harmful practice has serious health effects on women and girls.
He opined that the CBF should report any person caught practicing this horrible activity to the concern authorities so that the masses would end the practice.
In a sideline interview, Fatou Demba, a participant from Sutukoba village expressed delight for participating in the forum; she described FGM as a hurtful practice to women while said “This practice should be abolished because it has numerous health complications us. I’m appealing my fellow women to stop FGM,” she said.