06/02/2026
At Keyang Tipin Foundation, we stand firm: FGM is a violation of human rights and a profound threat to the health, dignity, and lives of girls and women. It has no medical justification and no place in any society.
FGM causes lifelong physical, emotional, and psychological harm. It affects girls long before they are able to understand what is being done to them and follows many women throughout their lives impacting health, education, relationships, and childbirth. Behind every statistic is a girl whose autonomy was taken away and a woman living with the consequences of violence she did not choose.
Today, as we mark Zero Tolerance Day, we are reminded that progress against FGM is real but fragile. Communities, survivors, advocates, and governments have worked for decades to reduce this harm and protect girls through education, dialogue, and law.
That is why we are deeply concerned by the current attempts in The Gambia to reverse the 2015 ban on FGM. Rolling back anti-FGM legislation would undermine hard-won gains and put countless girls at risk. Progress must move forward, not backward. Decriminalizing FGM sends a dangerous message that violence against girls can be justified.
We call on leaders, advocates, and communities to:
• Protect and uphold laws that ban FGM
• Educate on the lifelong health and human rights impacts of the practice
• Empower and protect girls so they can grow up safe, whole, and free from violence
On this day, we stand with girls at risk and with women who live with the consequences of FGM. Maintaining progress is not optional—it is a responsibility.
Together, we can end FGM.
And together, we must protect the gains already made.
