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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Oct 2009 : 08:34:20
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Culled from Foroyaa Newspaper http://www.foroyaa.gm/modules/news/article.php?storyid=3499
GAMCOTRAP Calls for Legislation against FGM
GAMCOTRAP has in a press release issued to the local media houses in The Gambia called for a legislation against Female Genital Mutilation Below is a full text of the release issued by GAMCOTRAP:
Every year women die of complications associated to child birth and most of them are related to traditional beliefs and practices that are deeply rooted in communities. These practices like FGM and Early Marriage continue to affect maternal and child health, as well as female sexuality.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a violation of human rights and a form of violence against women. The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child call on state parties to eliminate harmful traditional practices, and the African Union Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa explicitly calls on states to prohibit and condemn FGM through awareness creation and enacting of Law in order to eliminate the practice. The Gambia has ratified these treaties over the years. Members of relevant ministries, parliamentarians and civil society actors have dedicated attention to discussion on measures to be undertaken to fulfill these obligations.
Efforts to raise the consciousness of the people include training with Gambian communities, professional groups as well as policy makers and the legislature. In 2005, GAMCOTRAP in partnership with Save the Children, held a series of trainings and consultations with parliamentarians and these contributed to the passing of the Children’s Act 2005 and the ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (also known as the Maputo Protocol) in which article 5 calls for enacting legislation against FGM.
To further these developments, the Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (GAMCOTRAP) and the international NGO No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) will organise a national parliamentary workshop on 29 September 2009 bringing together members of the parliament of the Gambia, representatives of chiefs, members of the judiciary, civil society and relevant government ministries to mobilize politicians and parliamentarians for the development of legislation banning FGM.
The issues that will be discussed will include:
• Situational analysis of FGM in the Gambia
• Conventions on women and children ratified by the Gambia
• FGM and Religion;
• Effect of FGM on sexual and reproductive health and sexuality of women and girls.
It is expected that this training workshop will prepare the legislators to take the necessary steps to enact an effective law against FGM.
The objectives of the workshop are:
1. To bring together parliamentarians, officials, and civil-society organisations to discuss the effects of continuing the practice of FGM on women’s and children’s human rights, as well as sexual and reproductive health
2. To share strategies and best practices from other countries that have successfully legislated against FGM
3. To work towards a law prohibiting the practice of FGM in the Gambia
4. To promote the passing of the Women’s Bill
The workshop will also be attended by representatives of chiefs and women leaders whose communities have been actively engaged in the campaign against FGM.
Source: FOROYAA ONLINE
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Prince
507 Posts |
Posted - 01 Oct 2009 : 09:16:35
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Didn't the learned professor ban them from holding such discussions? okay, let them keep provoking him... |
"When injustice becomes law, rebellion becomes duty." |
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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
Posted - 01 Oct 2009 : 09:45:11
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 He once did ban their programme on GRTS but it seems there is a shift now.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
Posted - 01 Oct 2009 : 15:31:10
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NAMs, others sensitised on harmful traditional practises
Thursday, October 01, 2009
In a bid to create awareness on harmful traditional practices affecting women and children, The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices (GAMCOTRAP), last Tuesday, held a day’s sensitisation workshop for parliamentarians, members of the judiciary and security personnel, at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.
The one-day knowledge sharing session, organised by the GAMCOTRAP in collaboration with ‘No Peace Without Justice’, was, among other things, meant to discuss the effects of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on women and children’s sexual and reproductive health. It was also meant to share knowledge and strategies with other countries that have legislated against FGM, as well as to work towards a law against FGM.
This national forum is the third in a series of sensitisation campaigns organised by GAMCOTRAP for the country’s security apparatus, civil society groups as well as regional chiefs. In her introductory remarks, Dr Isatou Touray, the executive director, GAMCOTRAP, disclosed that her organisation is a women’s rights NGO that promotes women’s social, political, economic and cultural rights. "We also focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights as well as create awareness on traditional practises and aim at preservation of beneficial practises as well as the elimination of harmful traditional practises that are inimical to the health and well being of women and children," she said.
Dr Touray further emphasised that the workshop was yet another milestone achieved in partnership with the government and the National Assembly of The Gambia. For her part, Alvilda Jablonka, the ‘No Peace without Justice’ programme officer on FGM, said the forum is crucial as they are about to dicuss vital issues to ensure that women and children no longer suffer the scourge of FGM. According to her, her organisation, "No Peace Without Justice’ started work on Female Genital Mutilation with a joint campaign for the adoption and ratification of the African Union Proctocol on the Right of Women in Africa, which is also called the ‘Maputo Protocol’. This, she added, in its article 5, explicitly called on states to work towards the elimination of FGM.
In her opening remarks, on behalf of the minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Mariatou Jallow, the assistant director, Family Health at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ramou Cole Ceesay said that The Gambia government is committed to the promotion of women and girls’ health and in particular, their sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Thus, she said, The Gambia, like other UN member states, has signed and ratified a number of international conventions and declarations to protect women and children, among them CEDAW, CRC, ICPD POA, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, also known as the Maputo Protocol.
"Article 5 of the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) calls for enacting supportive legislation. To this end, government and development partners as well as stakeholders have developed policies to incorporate the component of the international conference on population and development, which also includes harmful traditional practices afftecing maternal and child health such as FGM, early marriage, and nutritional taboos among others," she said.
The advocacy strategies and social mobilisation processes undertaken by GAMCOTRAP with support from other stakeholders over the years, according to the Health and Social Welfare minister, have increased the level of awareness of the health effects of FGM and early marriage in particular. "Every year ,women die of complications associated with child birth and some of the contributing factors are related to effects of the traditional beliefs and practices that are deeply rooted in communities," she added.
Author: by Sheriff Janko
Source: The Daily Observer
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Janko
Gambia
1267 Posts |
Posted - 01 Oct 2009 : 17:58:41
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A Rite of Passage
Cutting body-part(s) is indefensible and outrageous.
But, let’s not forget that’s just one moment in the initiation process, there are many other aspects to “initiation” than just the surgical procedure, like, the teaching of young mothers important aspects of womanhood amongst other qualifications not taught or learnt in any other instance or social institutions. Circumcision is a “rite of passage” that enhances the social competence, status of the initiated and a bridge between childhood and maturity.
I hope or rather wish, there are considerations to preserve parts of the initiation process like dances, songs, rhythms, food, hairstyle, décor and especially the fellowship conveyed by the ceremonial context. There are other cultural values passed on to coming generations on the event, which are part of what constitutes the cultural institution and has functions beyond the framework of the ritual. It would be a dishonor, an unrecoverable lost to society if the whole ceremonial and cultural values disappears as well. Care needs be taken
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Clean your house before pointing a finger ... Never be moved by delirious Well-wishers in their ecstasy |
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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2009 : 18:40:26
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National Assembly Members Declare Anti-FGM Crusade
05 October 2009, 17:37:37
By Saikou Jammeh
At one time a taboo, the over two decades of campaign against female circumcision now appears to be picking much storm in The Gambia as the country’s lawmakers have last week Wednesday declared a crusade against the practice.
The practice of female circumcision, which is a deeply rooted cultural practice in many Gambian communities, and argued by some Islamic religious scholars that it is an Islamic injunction, has attracted a lot of wrangling at all corners in the country since the start of the campaign some 20 years ago.
However the National Assembly members have now pledged to support the enactment of any bill that come to the Assembly regarding the incrimination of female genital cutting. NAMs said in clear terms that they are ready to introduce a private member bill, which by law they are entitled to do, if they have the guidance from a legal expert.
NAMs made this declaration at the end of a daylong sensitisation workshop organized by GAMCOTRAP at Kairaba Beach Hotel. After hours of exposure to the numerous harmful effects of FGM on women’s health, amid pictures of infant children and women facing difficulties during delivery and some, whose sexuality have been almost blocked making it un-penetrable during sexual intercourse among many other ‘not-easy-to-look-at’ pictures all said to be obtained in The Gambia, deputies vowed that they are convinced, “beyond all shades of doubt that FGM is harmful to women’s sexuality and an abuse to their bodily integrity”.
Some women, as shown by a health expert from the Ministry of Health in her presentation, have complications when urinating because their lavia minora and majora is usually cut-off during the circumcision process and as a result the urine can be splashing over other parts of their body.
The expert showed another picture of a woman who have been in labour beyond what she described as ‘normal time’ because the effect of the cutting of her genital has made it to an extent that it is difficult, if not impossible for the head of the baby to come-out. This leads to a delicate operation on some mothers, some of whom she explained die as a result while in other cases, the babies die.
The expert added that in some instances the pressure applied during delivery causes abnormality in some children which is normally attributed to evil spirits. According to her, there are many fistula patients in the Gambia most of which is associated with FGM.
FGM and Islam
As many claim that female circumcision is a requirement for women to undergo in Islam as it serves to cleanse them, and that it is fit for women, two well known Islamic scholars speaking on the occasion have both thrown light on the issue.
Imam Mohammed Sanuwo said what the practice does to a girl child and women as portrayed by medical doctors is bad and should not be accepted. The Imam argued that people of whatever religion should listen and pay heed to the advices of experts – not just religious experts but others too.
He said whatever Muslims do should either be ordained by the Holy Qur’an or the teachings of the Prophet and that none of these have emphasized the need for women to be circumcised. In the Quran he added, there is no verse indicating that FGM should be practiced. Though in one of the teachings of the Prophet he admitted it was there indicated that the prophet asked a group of women whom he met on his way to Medina during the migration that he did not forbid it, but should cut ‘just little’ when doing so. This teaching according to the Imam, is categorized as those that are not strong teachings of the Prophet as it came after 200 years of the death of the Prophet. He noted that the author of the teaching ABU DAWUD had himself admitted that the teaching is not strong.
“We have done our research well,” he said, “and there is no direction that God orders us to do it. If we can establish that it is not good, we must prohibit it. Anything that destroys Islam must not be accepted. Those who do it inherit it through culture, but not Islam. Islam is pure religion and anything that is right should be advocated for”.
Another Imam, Baba Leigh buttressed that he would defend the truth and will not shy away from that. “Our relationship with the people is what we care. When we realise that it is bad we will not subject our children to it. Let us look at those who did not do it in our community… does it reduce anything from their faith in God or are they considered less Muslims than those who undergo it.
NAMs’ Reactions
Hon. Adama Cham, Member for Kombo North said the fight against FGM is both a collective and individual responsibility. “Yes, there can be laws restricting it but people may still do it”, he said. He said their involvement in the campaign is long overdue adding that they were even expecting to be utilized since the time they had once had a meeting with GAMCOTRAP in Tendaba.
“As far I am concerned nobody have sensitised me. My parents have undergone it and my sisters,” he explained. “I have 3 daughters but I told my people that none of them would go and I threatened them that they would go to jail if any body dares to. Is high time we hold the bull by the horn because the practice is not in the best interest of anyone.
The member for Banjul Central Hon. Abdoulie Saine in response to earlier comments made by Dr. Touray that the practice is now common in Banjul and the Kombo, admitted that is true, but was quick to add that it is as a result of people from the provinces who came along with their cultural practices. Notwithstanding, he recalled that the practice was in existence in Banjul some 2 decades ago, when children can be abducted from the streets and taken away to be circumcised without the knowledge or consent of their parents. But this is no longer the case, he said.
Those at the judiciary should come and help to legislate against FGM since that is what the people want, we will defend it, he said.
“We are all in it together”, said Hon. Lamin Jadama the Member for Nianija, “and we are equally concerned about the suffering of women. “Personally, I am convinced beyond all shades of doubt that the practice is harmful and should cease to exist, he said after having gone through the lectures.
Hon. Bekai Camara of Wuli East said the pictures portrayed showing the suffering of women in the name of culture and tradition is unacceptable. “It is clear that it is not a religious obligation, but a tradition. It’s a culture but people have changed and researches have shown that it is harmful. I appeal to my colleagues to work towards eliminating it because it is not in the best interest of the people”, he said.
According to Hon. Sedia Jatta, Member for Wuli West, by virtue of their organic link with the people, they will become advocates not by force or disrespect but by showing them the effects. He said the whole objective of the sensitisation is to help them (NAMs) to utilize and help raise awareness of the people and all can come to the conclusion to forego it.
For him, Members should now start talking about it to their people. Like the member for Kombo North he said he was convinced that this was not good even before the campaign started. He explained, “When I was in France, my sister took my first daughter to this useless thing. And I have a second daughter and I told them any one who wishes to circumcise her should be also ready to go to jail. I declared it before GAMCOTRAP”, he said. My thinking has been against it ever since. It does not have any place in human development except destruction, said Hon. Jatta.
“Let’s go back to our constituencies and tell them to put on new lenses in looking at what they call culture and tradition. It is not everything that we inherited must be accepted. It should but be evaluated. We cannot have the same vision as our ancestors and anyone who want us to do as our forefathers… we are not adding anything to knowledge and then I am a useless human being.
“The reason why we are better than other animals is because we have the ability to acquire knowledge. That is infact why the world is on our palm. But other animals are in the palm of the world. When they need water they cannot dig a well to have water.”
Source: The Daily News |
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