UN Women's Deputy Executive Director Mrs. Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda recently applauded The Gambia for its strong efforts to end female genital mutilation. She met with Hon. Fatou Kinteh, who heads up Gender, Children, and Social Welfare, right after the big UN women's meeting in New York on March 11, 2025. They talked about how The Gambia keeps pushing forward on women's rights, especially when it comes to stopping FGM across the country.
Mrs. Gumbonzvanda thanked Minister Kinteh because The Gambia helped kick off a major campaign against child marriage. She promised that UN Women would keep backing The Gambia's work after the Commission meetings ended. She really liked how The Gambia actively fights FGM through teamwork between the government, community groups, and religious organizations. She pointed out that The Gambia shows real political determination to tackle this issue head-on.
"The Banjul Charter proves The Gambia truly cares about human rights," Mrs. Gumbonzvanda said during their talks. Minister Kinteh explained that her government has invested a lot of resources into fighting FGM. She mentioned that they created a special National Steering Committee to ensure the anti-FGM law works properly. The Minister described their approach as both strategic and effective, with President Adama Barrow personally leading efforts to build nationwide support.
Both leaders agreed they need to keep working together to fight FGM and protect women and girls. Minister Kinteh asked for UN Women to establish a bigger presence in The Gambia, saying this would boost their push for gender equality and social justice. With fresh commitments from both sides, The Gambia stands ready to become a shining example for other countries in protecting women's rights and stopping harmful practices like FGM around the world.
Mrs. Gumbonzvanda thanked Minister Kinteh because The Gambia helped kick off a major campaign against child marriage. She promised that UN Women would keep backing The Gambia's work after the Commission meetings ended. She really liked how The Gambia actively fights FGM through teamwork between the government, community groups, and religious organizations. She pointed out that The Gambia shows real political determination to tackle this issue head-on.
"The Banjul Charter proves The Gambia truly cares about human rights," Mrs. Gumbonzvanda said during their talks. Minister Kinteh explained that her government has invested a lot of resources into fighting FGM. She mentioned that they created a special National Steering Committee to ensure the anti-FGM law works properly. The Minister described their approach as both strategic and effective, with President Adama Barrow personally leading efforts to build nationwide support.
Both leaders agreed they need to keep working together to fight FGM and protect women and girls. Minister Kinteh asked for UN Women to establish a bigger presence in The Gambia, saying this would boost their push for gender equality and social justice. With fresh commitments from both sides, The Gambia stands ready to become a shining example for other countries in protecting women's rights and stopping harmful practices like FGM around the world.
