By Aminata Kuyateh
According to the UNFPA country director Ndey Rose Sarr, an estimated four million girls worldwide could be victims of female genital mutilation in 2026 if efforts are not accelerated.
Madam Rose was addressing the launching of the UNFPA–Catalan Government project on ending FGM on Monday at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo.
The launch, which coincided with the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, brought together government officials, parliamentarians, law enforcement, development partners, civil society organisations and community leaders to renew commitments to ending the practice in The Gambia.
Implemented by UNFPA with support from the Government of Catalonia and partners including ChildFund, the project focuses on empowering girls, mobilising communities and strengthening institutional responses.
It has already trained 55 girls from schools and communities in the West Coast and Lower River regions on leadership, advocacy and social mobilisation, and established 10 Girls’ Clubs to sustain peer-led action against FGM.
A survivor-centred approach is a key component of the initiative.
Thirty FGM survivors from three regions have received advocacy training to enable them to speak out and drive change in their communities. Community engagement has also been expanded through intergenerational dialogues in 10 communities, while weekly radio programmes led by Fathers’ Clubs promote positive masculinity across the Upper River, Lower River and West Coast regions.
Institutional capacity building forms another pillar of the project, with police officers in Banjul and Basse undergoing specialised training. The programme is expected to reach more than 560 participants, strengthening law enforcement responses to FGM-related cases.
Madam Sarr added that challenges persist in implementing laws against FGM, citing limited resources that often delay police action. She noted that while The Gambia’s 2015 Women’s Amendment Act banning FGM was upheld by parliament in 2024, laws alone are insufficient without political commitment, funding and sustained community engagement.
She said more than 230 million women and girls undergone FGM globally, with about 23 million more at risk if action is not intensified.
“In The Gambia, concerns remain high due to continued resistance to bodily autonomy and gender equality,” she said.
Musu Kuta Komma, country director of ChildFund – The Gambia, said the organisation remains committed to protecting children from violence, with a focus on ending FGM through child rights and community-led approaches.
She said ChildFund supports awareness raising, social norm change and capacity building for traditional leaders, youth groups and caregivers, while strengthening referral systems for girls at risk.
She also raised concerns about the lack of dedicated budget lines for addressing FGM and related gender-based violence in The Gambia and across Africa, warning that progress could stall without sustained investment.
The National Assembly Member for Banjul South Fatoumatta Tuma Njia, stressed the importance of sharing lived experiences to help communities understand the urgency of ending FGM.
Representing the Inspector General of Police, Amie Nyassi described FGM as a violation of the rights of women and girls, with long-term physical and psychological consequences. She said institutions and communities have a responsibility to speak out, raise awareness and use shared information from stakeholders to better protect vulnerable groups, while keeping survivors’ voices central.
Inspector Eva Sabira of the Catalan police force, speaking on behalf of the Government of Catalonia, outlined Catalonia’s feminist and human rights-based cooperation policy and reaffirmed The Gambia’s status as a priority partner.
She highlighted the strong link between Catalonia and The Gambia through the Gambian diaspora, noting that these ties reinforce shared responsibility in promoting dignity and equality.
Director of Children’s Affairs at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, Bintou Fatty said the launch marked a renewed government commitment to protecting the rights, health and dignity of girls and women.
