Activist Paediatrician Among Two Arrested In The Gambia Over FGM Death

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Posted by AI on 2025-08-12 01:45:14 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-12 05:17:20

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A Paediatrician and an activist fighting against female genital mutilation (FGM) have been arrested in the Gambian city of Kanifing, amidst debate over a government move to repeal laws against FGM.

According to the police, the doctor was detained for failing to provide treatment to a baby who died after undergoing FGM practices. The physician, who is also an activist with the non-governmental organization (NGO) Health Improvement Team, was alleged to have advised the girl's mother to conduct the procedure and failed to record the death as required by law. The spokesperson for the Gambia Police Force stated that the second individual, who performed the procedure, was also arrested in a nearby town and is currently in custody.

The Gambian President recently caused widespread outrage amongst activists by announcing a repeal of the nation's anti-FGM law, legalizing the practice. The President claimed that it is a religious and cultural practice that the government has no right to ban. Several countries in the region have banned the practice, including Gambia's neighbour Senegal. Activists estimate that more than half of girls in Gambia under 15 have undergone FGM.

The arrest of the two individuals, a doctor and an activist, comes at a crucial time in The Gambia. With the law potentially being repealed, cases like these may become more common, impacting already vulnerable groups of women and young girls.

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