By Yusupha Jobe
The Minister of women, children and social welfare affair has stated that the practice on female genital mutilation (FGM) is older than any religion adding as the practice cannot be based on any religious concept.
Fatou Kinteh Sanyang made the statement yesterday at a press conference in Banjul on the day of commemoration of international day of zero tolerance against female genital mutilation FGM.
She added that the practice of female genital mutilation which has a deep link to the cultural values of many traditions in the country can only be term as a traditional practice but not any form of religious belief.
“Sometimes there is misconception that FGM is a religious practice what we know is that practice on female genital mutilation is older than both Christianity and Islamic belief. The performance on FGM is never a religious belief because all of us know there are Muslims in the Gambia who do not practice FGM and not only in the country but other part of Africa,” he said.
She mentioned that over the past years the government together with its partners has registered a successful of reduction on the harmful practice of female genital mutilation across the country adding that more work will be carried out by the government and partners in ensuring that there is a total elimination of female genital mutilation in a generation.
“We were able to achieve success in reducing the number of FGM practice in communities as in 2009 95% reduction on the practice was registered were as in 2013 it again goes down to 75% with a greater reduction of 53% in 2018. So, the figures have shown how active and ready we are in ending the harmful practice,” She said.
Other speakers include the UNFPA country representative Kunle Adeniyi.