Vice President Isatou Njie-Saidy
FGM/C Bill “Women’s Amendment Act 2010 – 32A”
By DBanjulist
Members of The Gambia’s National Assembly yesterday passed the Women’s Amendment Act 2010 bill to prohibit female cutting and matters connected therein. The bill was presented before the National Assembly members by the Vice President and Minister for Women Affairs, Isatou Njie-Saidy. The Women’s Act, according to the Vice President, referred to as the Principal Act was amended, by inserting immediately after section 32 the following new section: Section 32A “prohibition of female circumcision: A person shall not engage in female circumcision, and a person who engages in female circumcision commits an offence and liable for a conviction.”
Hon. Abdoulie Saine, member for Banjul Central, thanked the Vice President for presenting the bill before deputies, noting that the bill was very important and urged his colleagues to adopt the bill. Before enacting the bill, FGM was happening and now the President had changed it because it is a harmful practice and he believed any harmful practice against women should be avoided, Saine said. Hon. Badou Gaye Sonko, nominated member, also thanked the Vice President, adding that “FGM has been a long standing issue”. He told deputies that “although the bill had been adopted by deputies, it was the responsibility of the National Assembly and civil society to sensitise the Nation about this harmful practice”.
Samba Jallow the minority leader expressed his views against the Enactment of the Bill, in justifying that he said “the culture of FGM has been here [The Gambia] for decades in addition he said it is really important for this culture to be embraced instead of passing legislation to ban it.”
A youth activist involved in progressing the bill via the National Assembly stated that “for my part I believe it is a great move that the bill has finally been passed. This campaign has been going on for decades now. FGM has affected the lives of many children and women affecting their child birth and general health. The media has also played a significant role in presurising the government to pass this bill.”
Punishment for violating the ban will carry the following penalties:
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Individuals found guilty of practicing FGM/C could face up to three years jail time or fined 50,000 GMD or both equivalent to $1250 US dollars
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Individuals who fail to report the practice of FGM/C could be liable to a fine of 10,000 GMD
Implementation of the bill is expected to be pursued by all stakeholders including the police, the judicial system and the community.
Critics of the President’s verbal banning of the practice who called for a passage of a law welcome the new bill as a step in the right direction. “This is what we have been calling for from the inception and with the passage of this bill we are encouraged” said a Gambian activist in the UK. Many people are still pushing for the implementation of the ban to be backed by education and sensitization with the local communities across the country. Activists expressed concerns that without the educational aspect of the ban the practice will go underground which is even more dangerous.
Local Government Amendment Act Bill 2015
Meanwhile, in the same session, NAMs adopted the Local Government Act Amendment Bill 2015 presented by the Minister for Lands and Regional Government, Momodou Aki Bayo. Presenting the bill before deputies, Bayo said the bill would promote government programs at the regional level, implementation of development programs and activities, as well as to foster peace-building and conflict resolution at regional level.
Minister Bayo further informed deputies that the bill would also provide an avenue where Governors and Mayors could share relevant information and best practices in the execution of their functions. With regard to Alkalolou/Village Chiefs, the benefits and advantages are to promote peace, security and stability and settle disputes and to safeguard the traditions, customs and cultural norms and values, as well as protecting the environment, he said.
For the National Council of Elders, he added, the benefits and advantages are that they are to be advisers to governors, seyfololus and alkalolou, as well as ensure set-setal at the local level. As for the Local Government Service Commission, the benefits and advantages are that it would provide a unified local government service commission which would ensure efficient recruitment, and promotion of staff.
For the Municipalities and Area Councils, it would empower the municipal and area council police for more responsiveness in the maintenance of peace and security in their respective communities, and enhance effective local government administration.
This reporter noted that more bills are likely to be passed before the end of this sitting session. However, the much controversial pronouncement of the Gambia as an Islamic state by the President doesn’t appear to be heading to the National Assembly anytime soon for debates or passage of a bill. The media will continue to monitor the NAM’s session and will report updates on other bills.