In a small village in The Gambia’s Central River Region, the cries of a newborn were silenced, not by malaria or any of the child killer diseases, often blamed for high infant mortality.
On August 10, 2025, the beautiful one-month-old baby girl was silenced by the sharp razor of elderly women, while being held by her own grandmother. Within hours, she was bleeding heavily; and by the next day, she was gone, sparking what is now trending as Gambia FGM case.
Her death, a tragedy borne of a blade wielded in the name of tradition, has shaken the country. Police arrested the infant’s grandmother, the woman who carried out the procedure, and later, her mother was also apprehended. All three face charges under the Women’s (Amendment) Act of 2015, which criminalises female genital mutilation (FGM).
This is the first prosecution tied directly to a fatality, unfolding as the Supreme Court reviews the constitutionality of the FGM ban.
“The prosecution marks a turning point,” says Annette Camara, President of the Women Journalists Association of The Gambia. “It shows that perpetrators can and will be held accountable. For us, it’s a stepping stone in the history of FGM in this country.”
A decade of fragile progress
The Gambian government under an unpopular President Yahya Jammeh, outlawed FGM in 2015, in response to pressures from rights groups. He banned the centuries-old practice, which was hailed as a regional milestone at that time.
But enforcement has been sporadic. UNICEF estimates that 73% of Gambian women aged 15 – 49 have undergone FGM, among the world’s highest rates. The first conviction came only in 2018, when three women were fined after cutting eight girls. Jail terms remain rare.
Resistance to the ban has remained strong. In July 2024, an attempt backed by conservative
Annette Camara, President Women Journalists Association of The Gambia and radio host.
An attempt was made in the parliament to repeal the ban. The proponents argued, that the ban violated religious freedom, the bill went on to pass initial stages in the parliament before collapsing under global backlash. Now, with the Supreme Court reviewing the law itself, activists fear the ban could be overturned.
“If that happens, it could reverse decades of advocacy and expose more girls to harm. It will undermine Gambia’s international commitments to protect women and girls.”
Warns Annette Camara, President Women Journalists Association of The Gambia and a radio host.
Justice in the Balance
On August 12, three women; the grandmother, the baby’s mother, and the circumciser, appeared before a magistrate’s court in Basse. All pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors argue medical evidence shows the infant died from haemorrhage directly linked to FGM. Defence lawyers are expected to invoke cultural practice and lack of intent.
Observers see the case as a test of whether The Gambia will enforce its own law.
“This prosecution is crucial,” says Camara. “But enforcement cannot stop at the courthouse. It must be paired with community engagement, with education, and with alternatives for women who depend on FGM for survival.”
The baby’s death has galvanised Gambian activists.
Fatou Baldeh, founder of Women in Liberation and Leadership, wrote: “As we mourn this child, we must remain vigilant of the case before the Supreme Court. Our hard-won protections are not safe.”
Jaha Dukureh, founder of Safe Hands for Girls and herself a survivor, says:
“This baby’s death is a wake-up call. FGM isn’t tradition — it’s violence. The 2015 law was not the end of the fight. This case proves why we cannot relent.”
For survivors, trauma endures. Non Governmental groups and Civil Societies in rural Gambia collect testimonies of women suffering infections, complications from childbirths, and psychological scars.
One of such is a 26-year-old, who chose to speak in anonymous, recalled:
“They said the circumcision was to make me pure. What I remember is pain. Even now, every time I give birth, I relive it.”
Youth groups like Catch Them Young Gambia also urge firmness: “No intimidation should deter The Gambia from upholding its commitment to end FGM.”
International voices echo support. The London-based Orchid Project stated: “This incident underscores FGM as a silent epidemic. We stand in solidarity with Gambian activists, this child must not have died in vain.”
Clash of tradition with basic rights
FGM in The Gambia cuts across ethnic lines, often framed as a rite of passage. Some clerics insist it is religiously mandated, though it is absent from the Qur’an.
Much of the practice is sustained by social pressure. Women themselves; mothers, grandmothers, circumcisers, enforce it as a guarantee of marriage ability and family honour.
But as Camara points out, it is also an economic lifeline:
“There are women, even in urban Banjul, who depend on this practice for survival. Enforcement must provide alternatives for them, otherwise they have no incentive to stop.”
This tension is echoed elsewhere in West Africa. In Sierra Leone, recent deaths sparked outrage but no legal change. In Kenya, a timely ban in 2011, followed by proactive enforcement, has reduced its prevalence, though underground practices may not have been totally eradicated.
The World Health Organisation’s data shows that, more than 200 million women and girls around the world, have been subjected to FGM. Prompting UN to set a target of ending the practice by 2030. However, without Gambia holding its ground, campaigners fear that goal may slip further away.
A baby’s legacy
In Basse, the baby’s family awaits trial. The mother, grandmother, and circumciser sit in custody, their faces now symbols in a fight bigger than any one household.
For Camara, the meaning is clear:
“FGM is not just a women’s issue. It is a national concern requiring collective action, government, civil society, and the media. This prosecution must set an example.”
The stakes are enormous. A conviction could strengthen the ban and deter practitioners. An acquittal, or worse, a Supreme Court repeal, could send Gambia spiralling backward.
As activists prepare rallies and NGOs scale up community dialogues, the memory of a one-month-old girl lingers. She never lived to choose her fate, but her death now forces a nation to reckon with its conscience.
Will The Gambia reaffirm its promise to protect its daughters, or will this child’s silence echo into generations?
This feature was reported and written by Oruruo Samuel Okechukwu, with collaboration from Omar Bah, a renowned Gambian journalist and commentator on democracy, rights, and governance.
