Dr Isatou Touray, the executive director of Gamcotrap, has disclosed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that between 100-140 million girls and women worldwide are currently living with the consequences of female genital mutilation (FGM).
Dr Touray made the disclosure while delivering her keynote address at the recent sensitisation workshop for 30 journalists across the country on effective reporting on FGM, organised by the Association of Health Journalists of The Gambia at the Baobab Holiday Resort in Bijilo.
She said: "In The Gambia, despite the downward trend; the prevalence of FGM remains on the high side with 78.3 per cent for women aged 15 - 49 according to the MICS 2005/ 2006. Complications such as anaemia as a result of the practice, due mainly to profuse loss of blood, lead many children to their death, while many are exposed to infection as a result of FGM."
She informed the gathering that over the past years, Gamcotrap has taken the initiative to train media practitioners on the health effects of FGM on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls.
"We are now beginning to see evidence of the impact of those initiatives from the responsible reporting monitored on the subject matter; which has become a hallmark of many media houses particularly the print media.
This initiative today is also a manifestation of such an impact, but it is more relevant and important since it shows the level of concern and commitment from the media to ensure the promotion of the health and well being of women and girl children. This is indeed in the right direction, and it is through such initiative that sustainable change is possible in the campaign to eradicate FGM within a highly resistant society," she explained.
Dr. Touray said that it is important to recognise that many women still live with the effects of FGM; a practice they had undergone since childhood.
According to her, these women suffer in silence thinking that it is their religion that ordains it. "Where are the religious leaders? Can you make it clear to these women? Also, many marriages have been broken because of the effects of FGM particularly for women with keloid formation on the external reproductive organ and for others it contributes to complications such as fistula," she stressed.
She re-iterated that FGM remains a health hazard, and a serious concern for Gamcotrap and all those who care. "In a recently concluded programme conducted by Gamcotrap in the Central River Region, a health officer from one health centres noted that 95% of the referrals to Kuntaur Health Centre for women in childbirth are as a result of the complications of FGM.
This indeed signals a concern and calls for collective responsibility to help women out of a practice associated not only with culture but also with their religion," she further remarked, and continued:
"The factors leading to the practice are cultural, but Gamcotrap remains concerned with the religious debate that promotes the practice. This is highly unprogressive given the danger that women and girl children are exposed to. There has been many misinterpretation of religious text to recommend the practice for women.
This does not promote the health and wellbeing of women and children and violates their fundamental rights. "Gamcotrap is proudly enthusiastic to be associated with this phenomenal initiative which seeks to build the awareness and sensitivities of media practitioners and media houses not only on effective reporting on a topic that has been subjected to unprecedented debates and propaganda in the media overtime, but to also help journalists, including senior editors, to develop objective analysis of issues regarding the practice of FGM in the best interest of Gambian women and girl children."
Source: AllAfrica.com, 28 July 2010
Author: Fatoumata Mbenga