‘Respect the Law’: Bundung Resident Urges End to FGM in The Gambia
A resident of Bundung has called on Gambians—particularly young people—to respect the country’s ban on female genital mutilation (FGM), urging communities to abandon a practice he says continues to put the health and rights of women and girls at risk.
Modou Bah appealed during an interview in Bundung, Kanifing Municipality of the Gambia in March 2026, where he acknowledged the deep cultural roots of FGM but stressed that national laws introduced to protect women and girls must take precedence.
“FGM is a deeply rooted cultural practice, but the government banned it because of the harm it causes,” Bah said. “As citizens, we must respect that decision.”
FGM was outlawed in The Gambia in 2015 as part of efforts to safeguard women and girls from serious health complications and human rights abuses. Medical experts and advocates warn that the practice can lead to severe pain, infections, complications during childbirth, and long-term physical and psychological trauma.
Despite this, the practice continues in some communities, often driven by longstanding beliefs about morality, marriage, and social acceptance. Bah pointed to one such belief—that women who do not undergo FGM may struggle to experience sexual satisfaction in marriage. While acknowledging that the perception exists, he dismissed it as a generalisation.
“Some people believe that if a woman is not cut, her husband will not be able to satisfy her,” he said. “But that depends on the individuals involved. Women are different, and such claims are based on personal opinions, not facts.”
He said his position on the issue is not just public, but personal. Within his own family, Bah has encouraged relatives to abandon the practice in line with the law.
“I have told my family that we should stop practising FGM because it is banned,” he said. “We have to move forward and protect our daughters.”
Bah also directed his message to young people across the country, urging them to play a leading role in upholding the law and challenging harmful traditions.
“My advice to the youth is to be law-abiding,” he said. “Even though FGM is part of our culture, the ban is there, and we must respect it by ending the practice.”
FGM remains a sensitive and often divisive issue in The Gambia, where debates continue between those who support its abolition and others who argue for the preservation of cultural traditions.
But for Bah, the priority is clear.
“We should stop practising FGM,” he said. “That is the message I want to share with young people and with everyone.”
This article is part of the Breaking the Silence: Voices of FGM Survivors Project, supported by the Foundation for Women’s Health Research and Development (FORWARD UK).
Author: Bakary Jassey
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