Gambia: Gamcotrap to Observe International Zero Tolerance to FGM Day

Gambia: Gamcotrap to Observe International Zero Tolerance to FGM Day
The Point (Banjul) / All Africa, 02 Feb 2016


February 6th is an important day in the advocacy to end Female Genital Mutilation globally but in Africa in particular.It is an event calling the attention of the whole world with the aim to end violence against women and girl -children. The theme this for 2016 is "Together, mobilizing to contribute to the achievement of the new Global Goals through the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation by 2030."
In the Gambia, years of working together with grassroots communities has proven that we can achieve the goal of protecting girls from FGM and ensure that the environment is safe for girls to reach their full potential with their bodily integrity in tack.Reaching out to 1015 Communities in rural areas of the Gambia, 158 Circumcisers making public declaration through the Dropping of the Knife celebration is worth celebration.Such achievement has been taken to higher heights with a Specific law criminalizing and prohibiting FGM in the Gambia.
As the Gambia joins the world to celebrate Zero Tolerance day to end FGM, GAMCOTRAP, financed by the Italian Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Civil Society partners, No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ), Inter African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) take pride in bringing together delegates from the seven regions of rural Gambia to celebrate the achievement on a consultation to be conducted at the Independent Stadium in Bakau.Indeed rural people deserve to celebrate the day having been empowered with knowledge, information and skills to end the practice.They were there when the road was rough and tough.They realized that FGM is not a religious issue but a cultural practice and that culture is not static, together community members, Chiefs, village heads, women leaders, circumcisers, women and men, young and old came to consensus that girls need to be protected from FGM through enlightenment but also with a law to create a safe environment for them.

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