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Gambia: Circumcisers Drop Their Knives

At a colourful ceremony on 5 May 2007, GAMCOTRAP, with local and international partners, celebrated the dropping of knives by eighteen circumcisers across the length and breadth of The Gambia.

GAMCOTRAP, a Women's Rights NGO, promotes women's social, political, economic and cultural rights. Its also focuses on sexual and reproductive health rights. The organisation creates awareness on traditional practices and aims at the presentation of beneficial practices as well as the elimination of harmful traditional practices that are inimical to the wellbeing of women and children, particularly the girl-child.

Among the objectives the organisation uphold are:

(1) To carry out research into traditional practices that affects the sexual and reproductive health of women and girl children in The Gambia.

(2) To identify and promote traditional practices that improve the status of girl children and women.

(3) To create awareness on the effects of harmful traditional practices on the health of girl-children and women, in particular, FGM, nutritional taboos, child/early marriages and wife inheritance etc.

Dr. Isatou Touray, Executive Director GAMCOTRAP, spoke about their organisation.

She said it was a great challenge to open discussion on jealously guarded secrets about FGM which was wrongly associated with religion, thus making the debate more sensitive for women's rights activists to engage. She continued, "However, with effective social mobilization, tact and frankness, the topic is now subjected to debate amongst different sectors of society. It is no longer a taboo." She congratulated their donors, Save the Children, Sweden based, in Dakar. She said they used the Rights Based Approach (RBA) in addressing traditional practices, women's rights and gender based violence.

She listed the target group they have trained. National Assembly members, religious and cultural leaders, women groups, circumcisers, herbalists and journalists, among other critical targets.

She congratulated the Gambia government for creating the enabling environment by signing the CRC, CEDAW, AU Women Protocol and the drafting of the current Women Bill, where civil society organisations are calling for law reforms concerning women's rights.

Dr. Isatou Touray appealed, through Dr. Tamsir Mbowe, SoS for Health and Social Welfare representing the Vice President, for the enactment of a law to protect the gains already achieved concerning harmful traditional practices.

WHO country representative, Dr. Nestor Shivute made a statement.

He explained about FGM or Female Circumcision. "It comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female sexual organs, whether for cultural, religious or other non-therapeutic reasons." He tabulated the long term complications ranging from obstruction, haemorrhage (bleeding) virginal fistula (hole), sexual pain, etc.

He said an estimated 100 - 400 million women and girls especially in Africa undergo some form of genital cutting. A further 2 million girls, the majority of whom are in Africa, are at risk annually to undergo the operation. Dr. Shivute said FGM is recognised as a form of violence against women.

He commended GAMCOTRAP, government and the partners for making the celebration possible.

Dr. Tamsir Mbowe, SoS Health and Social Welfare deputized for the Vice President and SoS Women Affairs.

He said the day marked a very important aspect of our continuous assessment of the socio-cultural institution of female circumcision; that it's a mark of increasing maturity to subject the values and taboo surrounding this institution; that our indigenous culture has been held in high esteem in some quarters but that the surgical aspects of circumcision have been attributed to be causal factors of some health hazards. "The decision to abandon the surgical aspect is commendable" , he said. He said the decision to abandon the practice should not extend to the denigration of the education, traditional wisdom and knowledge identified with the process of socialization. He said "we all want good health, the absence of ailments and no willful damaging harm to any of our organs".

However, let us not throw away the baby with the birth water."

He congratulated GAMCOTRAP for not only the promotion of a democratic culture but also for the development orientation of their work, indicated by piloting with the concerned circumcisers on alternative employment opportunities. He also commended GAMCOTRAP's linkage with relevant institutions and partners in and outside the country.

He assured them of government's continuous support.

Mrs. Ame David, Programme coordinator of Save the Children- Sweden, representative from Dakar, a GAMCOTRAP donor partner, made a statement. She congratulated GAMCOTRAP, national and international partners, Gambia government and everybody for making the celebration possible.

Part two of the programme dealt with the swearing in ceremony.

A general statement for appeal to stop FGM was made by Olimatou Sissoho from the Greater Banjul area and Tuti Njie from the provinces. Ms. Fatou Bojang made a general statement on behalf of the circumcisers.

Certificates were awarded to Ex-circumcisers and village heads who assisted in the struggle for the eradication of the practice..

Present were diplomats, government representatives, journalists, activists, women groups and people from different walks of life.

Mrs. Amie Bojang Sissoho, programme coordinator GAMCOTRAP, gave the vote of thanks.