Female supporters of FGM march in Gambia, want the cut legalised

Hundreds marched through the streets of Banjul on Monday in support of a bill that would repeal a ban on FGM, a practice that has been on the rise in recent years despite activist campaigns to end it. The mostly male crowd included a scattering of enthusiastic women, some wearing burkas, who carried picket signs with slogans such as “Religion is our right.“ Lawmakers presented the repeal bill earlier this month, arguing the ban violates citizens’ rights to practice their culture and religion. If passed, Gambia would become the first country to reverse a ban on FGM. Michèle Eken, a senior researcher at Amnesty International in Dakar, said reversing the ban on FGM would set a worrisome precedent for the region.