Gambia’s parliament on Monday decisively rejected a bill that would have ended the country’s ban on female genital mutilation (FGM), after lawmakers voted down all the clauses in the proposed law. This development effectively halts any progress of the bill, which had initially raised concerns among rights groups.
Parliament Speaker Fabakary Tombong Jatta confirmed the rejection, noting that the bill had previously passed a second reading in March with only five out of 53 lawmakers voting against it. This earlier vote had sparked fears that Gambia might become the first country to reverse a ban on the practice.
