FGM: Outrage in The Gambia after one-month-old baby dies – BBC

Report on Infant Fatality in The Gambia and Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Incident Summary

A one-month-old infant girl has died in The Gambia from complications widely attributed to female genital mutilation (FGM). The incident highlights significant challenges to the nation’s commitment to child protection and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• The infant was transported to a hospital in the capital, Banjul, after suffering severe bleeding.
• She was pronounced dead upon arrival.
• Police have arrested two women in connection with the infant’s death.
• An autopsy is pending to formally establish the cause of death.

Abdoulie Ceesay, the Member of Parliament for the district where the incident occurred, stated, “The loss of this innocent child must not be forgotten. Let it mark a turning-point and a moment for our nation to renew its unwavering commitment to protecting every child’s right to life, safety, and dignity.”

2.0 FGM in The Gambia: A Barrier to Sustainable Development

Female genital mutilation is the deliberate cutting or removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. The practice is a direct violation of human rights and a significant impediment to achieving several SDGs. In The Gambia, the prevalence rate is among the highest in the world, with 73% of women and girls aged 15 to 49 having undergone the procedure.

2.1 Rationale and Trends

The continuation of FGM is often justified by cultural and social pressures. Key reasons cited include:

• Social acceptance and tradition
• Religious beliefs
• Misconceptions regarding hygiene
• Preservation of virginity and ensuring “marriageability”
• Beliefs related to enhancing male sexual pleasure

According to the non-governmental organisation Women In Leadership and Liberation (WILL), there is an increasing trend of performing FGM on infants. This is reportedly done to conceal the illegal act and under the belief that infants heal more quickly.

3.0 Analysis of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Violations

This case underscores critical failures in upholding international and national commitments to the SDGs, particularly those concerning health, gender equality, and justice.

3.1 SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The infant’s death is a tragic illustration of the failure to meet SDG 3, which aims to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” FGM is a harmful practice with severe health consequences, including haemorrhage, infection, and death, directly contravening the goal of reducing child mortality.

3.2 SDG 5: Gender Equality

FGM is a profound form of gender-based violence and a violation of SDG 5. Specifically, it undermines Target 5.3, which calls for the elimination of all harmful practices, including female genital mutilation. The practice perpetuates gender inequality by controlling female bodies and sexuality.

3.3 SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The incident reveals significant weaknesses in the legal and institutional frameworks designed to protect citizens, a core component of SDG 16.

1. Legislative Gaps: Although FGM was outlawed in The Gambia in 2015, with penalties including life imprisonment if a death occurs, enforcement remains weak.
2. Lack of Accountability: There have only been two prosecutions and one conviction since the law was enacted, indicating a failure of the justice system to hold perpetrators accountable.
3. Institutional Challenges: A strong political lobby has emerged advocating for the repeal of the 2015 ban, threatening the legal protections currently in place for girls and women.

The statement from WILL, “Culture is no excuse, tradition is no shield, this is violence, pure and simple,” reinforces the need for strong institutional resolve to enforce laws that protect fundamental human rights over harmful traditional practices.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  This goal is central to the article, which begins with the death of a one-month-old baby due to “severe bleeding” following female genital mutilation (FGM). The article explicitly links FGM to negative health outcomes, quoting an MP who emphasizes the need to protect children from harmful practices that rob them of their “health, dignity, and life.” This directly relates to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  The article focuses on FGM, a practice that exclusively targets girls and women and is described as “violence, pure and simple.” It is a clear example of gender-based violence and a harmful practice that the international community aims to eliminate. The involvement of the NGO “Women In Leadership and Liberation (WILL)” further underscores the gender equality dimension of the issue, which is about protecting the rights and bodily autonomy of females.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This goal is relevant because the article discusses the legal framework and its enforcement concerning FGM in The Gambia. It notes that FGM was “outlawed in The Gambia since 2015,” with specific penalties. However, it highlights institutional weakness by stating there have been “only two prosecutions and one conviction.” The mention of arrests, a strong lobby group demanding decriminalization, and the MP’s call for an “unwavering commitment to protecting every child’s right” all point to the challenges in promoting the rule of law and ensuring justice for victims of violence.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 3.2: End preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age

  The article’s core subject is the death of a one-month-old baby. This death was a direct result of a harmful practice and is therefore a preventable death of a newborn, aligning perfectly with the objective of this target.

• Target 5.3: Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation

  The entire article is about the consequences of female genital mutilation (FGM). It explicitly names the practice, describes it, and discusses its prevalence and legal status in The Gambia. The call to action from the NGO and the MP is a call to end this specific harmful practice, making this target directly applicable.

• Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children

  FGM is described in the article as “violence, pure and simple.” Since the victim was a baby, the practice constitutes a severe form of violence against a child. The MP’s statement about the “need to protect children from harmful practices” reinforces the connection to this target, which aims to protect children from all forms of violence.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 3.2 (Implied): Neonatal mortality rate

  The article reports the death of a “one-month-old baby girl.” While it doesn’t provide a national statistic for the neonatal mortality rate (deaths within the first 28 days of life), this specific incident is a data point for that indicator. The event highlights that FGM is a contributing factor to preventable neonatal deaths.

• Indicator for Target 5.3 (Mentioned): Proportion of girls and women aged 15-49 years who have undergone female genital mutilation/cutting

  The article explicitly provides this indicator for The Gambia, stating that “73% of women and girls aged 15 to 49 having undergone the procedure.” This statistic is a direct measure of the prevalence of FGM and is used to track progress towards its elimination under Target 5.3.

• Indicator for Target 16.3 (Implied): Conviction rates for perpetrators of violence

  The article implies a very low conviction rate for the crime of FGM. It states that despite the practice being outlawed in 2015, “there have only been two prosecutions and one conviction.” This data point, while not a formal statistical rate, serves as an indicator of the effectiveness of the justice system in holding perpetrators accountable, which is a key aspect of measuring progress on the rule of law.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: bbc.com