By Fatoumatta Dukureh
& Aminata S Kuyateh
The Gold Award Holders Association (GAHA), with support from The Girl Generation (TGG), through the end of FGM grants programme on Tuesday held a day long training programme on the engaging Islamic students in the campaign against female genital mutilation/ cutting at the president’s international award hall, Bakau.
The training targets 40 Islamic students and teachers from various schools in West Coast Region and Greater Banjul Area.
Baboucarr Kebbeh, the chairperson of GAHA, said: “FGM comprises all procedures involving the total removal of all external female genital area or any other injury to the female genital organs for non medical reasons.
“WHO estimates that three girls undergo some forms of this procedure everyday in Africa, The Gambia is one of those worst countries where there will be high prevalence rate of FGM.”
The executive director of the president’s international award Sainey Drammeh said, “Female genital cutting is a tradition that we want to look at and see way of eradicating it in our various cultures and traditions. We want to adopt cultural practices that are promoting our personal well being and health”.
He added that FGM is very detrimental to the health of a girl child and women in general.
Lamin Darboe, executive director NYC said: “religion plays a critical role in shaping people’s perception and also about female genital cutting, engaging critical stakeholders like madrassa, teachers and other institutions is indeed a step in the right direction.”
