GAMCOTRAP urges government to outlaw FGM

GAMCOTRAP, women ’s rights NGO working in the area of women and girls has urges the Government of the Gambia to escalate the gains already made in the advocacy by enacting a specific law against FGM.

In a press release issued ahead of the celebration of Zero Tolerance on FGM, GAMCOTRAP said the call is a popular demand from the population who is aware of the negative effects of FGM on women’s health and well-being.

GAMCOTRAP who have been very active and effective in stopping FGM will join the rest of the world to commemorate Zero Tolerance Day on FGM on Saturday. This year’s celebration marked the twelfth commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting.

Zero Tolerance Day originated on Feb. 6, 2003, when the first lady of Nigeria, Mrs. Stella Obasanjo, officially declared “Zero Tolerance to FGM” in Africa during a conference organised by the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children, a non-governmental network headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Since then, this day has been observed around the world.
The theme for 2012 is: “Mobilization and Involvement of Health Personnel to Accelerate Zero Tolerance for FGM.”

“February 6^th 2015 is yet another day celebrating an important event calling the attention of the whole world the aim to end violence against women and girl –children,” the statement reads. “The theme is very relevant and important for the health sector to engage in the advocacy to end FGM and promote the sexual and reproductive health rights of women and girl-children.”