By Ramatoulie Jawo
Dr. Isatou Touray, the Executive Director of GAMCOTRAP, has vowed to continue her fight to end what she called the harmful practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
The former Vice President of the Gambia made this statement on Twitter in response to a motion by Hon. Sulayman Saho to repeal the law that banned FGM in the country.
“Let’s speak up, be courageous, and engage in civil discourse in our communities to end FGM in parts of the Gambia where it’s entrenched. As long as I am alive, I will not relent in my efforts to end this harmful practice,” she wrote.
Dr. Touray expressed deep disappointment at the reversal of progress made on the issue of FGM in the Gambia.
“Elected and nominated members in Assembly Gambia seeking to repeal a bill that protects women’s sexual and reproductive rights is a step in the wrong direction. FGM is a public health issue, and after 40 years of work, I know many women suffer in silence,” she said.
Dr. Touray lamented that the male National Assembly Members who seek to repeal the Women’s Act have no idea what their loved ones go through. On Monday, Hon. Sulayman Saho, the National Assembly Member for Badibu Central, proposed that the FGM Act be repealed. All National Assembly Members who participated in the debate agreed to repeal the Act.