Statement by Dr. Jacinta Muteshi, Team Lead, The Girl Generation
“Before I speak, I must warn you, what you are about to read is deeply distressing. It speaks of the death of a baby and the brutal reality of female genital mutilation. It may be triggering. But we cannot look away. We must bear witness.”
We speak today through grief and fury. A one-month-old baby girl in The Gambia has had her life stolen, her tiny body mutilated at the hands of adults who should have protected her. This is not culture. This is not tradition. This is violence, pure and simple, against a child who never had a chance to live.
A child has been murdered, and the world cannot be silent any longer. The mutilation of a baby’s body is not just an assault on her, it is an assault on our shared humanity. It is torture, and its consequences are irreversible.
We have every right to be outraged. Outrage is not only justified, it is essential. It is the force that says “No more”, the voice that refuses to normalise brutality, and the fire that demands justice for every girl. Without outrage, there is only silence. And silence is complicity.
The Girl Generation’s position is clear and non-negotiable: there is no cultural, religious, or social justification for FGM, ever. We reject any attempt to disguise, defend, or dilute this violence. The safety, dignity, and futures of girls are not up for debate.
The evidence of FGM’s lethal and lifelong harm is undeniable:
- Research from the University of Birmingham shows that FGM is now estimated to claim the lives of approximately 44,320 girls and young women every year, that is one girl every 12 minutes, making it the fourth leading cause of death among girls and young women in practising countries.
- In The Gambia, prevalence among women aged 15–49 remains alarmingly high at 75–76%, with little sign of decline.
- University-linked obstetric data from Gambian health facilities shows that FGM significantly increases the risk of postpartum haemorrhage, perineal tears, neonatal resuscitation, perinatal death, and stillbirth, especially with the most severe forms.
We call on the Government of The Gambia to:
- Fully investigate this child’s death and bring all perpetrators to justice.
- Enforce the 2015 FGM ban without exception and close loopholes that allow offenders to act with impunity.
- Protect infants and young girls who are increasingly targeted to evade detection.
We call on international governments and human rights bodies to:
- Publicly condemn this killing and reaffirm that FGM is a grave violation of global human rights treaties.
- Strengthen enforcement of existing conventions, including CEDAW and the CRC, and hold states accountable for non-compliance.
- Provide urgent resources, diplomatic pressure, and protection for survivors and frontline movements working to end FGM. Resources are not optional, they are essential. How else do we ensure girls’ safety, dignity, and futures unless we invest in them and recognise that they are worthy of every protection and opportunity?
- Recognise that silence and inaction make such tragedies inevitable.
This baby’s death must be a turning point, not just for The Gambia, but for the world. Every government, every global body, and every community leader has a duty to act now, because the cost of waiting is measured in tiny graves and stolen futures.
The Girl Generation stands unapologetically with survivors, activists, and partners across Africa and beyond to demand justice, protection, and a future where no girl is mutilated, and no life is lost to this violence.
