Lawmakers in Gambia have made a significant decision by rejecting a bill that aimed to reverse the ban on female genital cutting in the West African nation. This ban, which prohibits the partial or full removal of girls' external genitalia, has been a subject of intense debate in the predominantly Muslim country with a population of less than 3 million.
The attempt to lift the ban, which would have made Gambia the first country in the world to do so, was closely monitored by activists globally. The lawmakers' rejection of all clauses of the bill effectively halted its progress and prevented a final vote on the matter.
