Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – Honorable Commissioner Janet R. Sallah-Njie, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), has called on the Government of The Gambia to prosecute all individuals responsible for the death of a one-month-old baby who died from complications following Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Speaking during the 85th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Banjul, Commissioner Sallah-Njie expressed deep concern over the tragedy and emphasized the urgent need for accountability and strengthened national action against the practice.
“I call on the Government of The Gambia to ensure that all those responsible for the tragic death of the one-month-old baby girl following complications from Female Genital Mutilation are held fully accountable under the law. Furthermore, I urge the government to scale up nationwide public awareness campaigns, strengthen community-based prevention efforts, and provide comprehensive support services to survivors,” she said.
In accordance with Rules 25(3) and 64 of the ACHPR’s Rules of Procedure (2020), and in line with Resolution ACHPR/Res.38 (XXV) 99 of May 5, 1999, Commissioner Sallah-Njie presented her report as the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa (SRRWA), outlining activities undertaken during the reporting period.
On 14 August 2025, acting in her capacity as SRRWA, Commissioner Sallah-Njie—alongside the Special Rapporteur on Child Marriage and Other Harmful Practices and the Country Rapporteur for The Gambia at the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC)—issued an urgent appeal to the Gambian government following the infant’s death.
The appeal urged authorities to conduct a prompt, impartial, and thorough investigation into the incident and to ensure that those responsible are prosecuted in accordance with the Women’s (Amendment) Act, 2015, which criminalizes FGM in The Gambia.
“I was deeply saddened and gravely concerned by the tragic death of a one-month-old baby girl in the Republic of The Gambia, following complications arising from female genital mutilation. This devastating incident underscores the continued danger posed by this harmful practice, particularly to the youngest and most vulnerable,” she said.
Commissioner Sallah-Njie stressed that the child’s death serves as a “stark and painful reminder” of the urgent need to uphold and enforce national laws prohibiting FGM and to intensify efforts to eliminate the practice in all its forms.
She also called on African Union member states to enhance the protection of women and girls, especially in conflict and fragile settings, by strengthening laws and support systems that address sexual and gender-based violence and ensuring access to justice, healthcare, and psychosocial support for survivors.
Highlighting ongoing advocacy efforts, Commissioner Sallah-Njie revealed that, in collaboration with the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) and the Female Lawyers Association of The Gambia (FLAG)—with technical support from the Centre for Women’s Rights at the University of Pretoria—she filed an amicus curiae brief before the Supreme Court of The Gambia.
The brief supports the constitutionality of the provisions in the Women’s Act that criminalize female genital mutilation.
