The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new alarm on female genital mutilation (MGF). While the efforts to eradicate it worldwide gain ground and the figures of girls who are subject to this practice descend, it has been detected that a large number of those that are still practiced are made by health personnel.
These health workers play a primary role in their eradication in many parts of the world, but, now, the international organization has detected that, at least, one in four that are carried out are carried out by them. Only in 2020, about 52 million girls and women suffered this amputation at the hands of health personnel.
The MGF is a clear violation of the rights of girls and puts their health at risk, so healthcares should be the first agents in the fight against it. Instead, not everyone seems to think the same. Not because they are done by them, the less harmful practice for women who suffer from it. WHO warns that even ‘medicalized’ processes can carry more serious injuries.
Faced with this reality, WHO has been forced to issue new guidelines, demanding greater involvement in the eradication of this phenomenon by doctors, governments and local communities. They highlight that health personnel must be an agent of change rather than perpetrators of this harmful custom.
In 30 countries around the world, the MGF is still practiced, which puts millions of girls in danger of suffering it every year. The consequences of being subject to it range from health problems, including mental health, to serious obstetric risks and, sometimes, the need for surgical repairs.
The guidelines recently published by WHO also take into account these people and suggest measures to improve the attention to survivors in different stages of their lives.
Gambia is one of the 10 countries with the highest MGF index in Africa. In 2015, this practice was prohibited in the country. A law turned all MGF acts into a criminal offense. In addition, the Gambia government adopted a national strategy and policy for 2022-2026 in order to put an end to this practice throughout the country by 2030. Despite this, it has continued to be practiced. It is estimated that, at least, 73% of Gambianas between 15 and 49 years have undergone this violation of their rights. The vast majority suffered before turning 5. More than 20% of those affected were infibulated, which means that the genital area was cut and sewn.
This shows that not all sectors of society agree with the prohibition. Especially the Muslim religious leaders who have been launching campaigns since 2015 to reversed. In June 2014, the Gambian Parliament voted an amendment to the Law of Women who intended to end the veto. Fortunately, a majority of parliamentarians voted against it.
However, the detractors of the law have not surrendered. Recently, a appeal to reverse the law that prohibits the MGF was presented to the Supreme Court of Gambia. On April 15, the High Court ruled that it has jurisdiction to listen to the appeal. The plaintiffs argue that the legislation that penalizes the MGF is incompatible with several provisions of the 1997 Constitution, including the rights of equality, freedom of expression, cultural and religious practices, and family life. Therefore, they argue that the law, by violating constitutional guarantees, should be repealed. The Supreme Court’s decision to admit it to proceeding the way for a constitutional battle over this practice.
Gambia is a clear case that the fight against this harmful custom for women is far from winning. There is still a long way to go.
Upper image: 123rf
