Yassin Fatty, a traditional practitioner of female genital cutting in the West African nation of Gambia, became the first to be convicted there. But her case led to a backlash and a popular campaign to make it legal again.
Tag: Gambia
Gambia Votes to Keep Ban on Female Genital Cutting, in Dramatic Reversal
Lawmakers in the West African country had supported overturning the prohibition, but changed course on Monday after a vociferous campaign led by women.
Swiss Court Convicts Ousman Sonko, Ex-Gambian Minister, of Crimes Against Humanity
Ousman Sonko, who served under an autocratic president now in exile, was found guilty of multiple counts of intentional homicide, torture and false imprisonment against citizens of the West African country.
Gambia Votes to Overturn Landmark Ban on Female Genital Cutting
Lawmakers in the West African country voted to advance a bill repealing a 2015 ban. If it passes the final round of voting, Gambia will become the first nation to roll back protections against the practice.
An Enforcer for a Strongman President Goes on Trial in Milestone Swiss Case
Ousman Sonko served the authoritarian president of Gambia for years, seeking asylum in Switzerland after losing his job. Now he faces charges of crimes against humanity.
Athens Democracy Forum: Daring to Hope That Democracy Will Prevail
Democracies have to adjust to a changed world, but the challenge before them is to do so without losing their essential values.
Athens Democracy Forum: Across Africa, Young Leaders Emerge
Six people, all 35 or younger, talk about what they are doing to shake up politics on the continent, and what inspired them to step up.
Rotted Vegetables and Rancid Milk No More, as a Bridge Replaces Ferries
Truck drivers used to wait for days before crossing the Gambia River by ferry, but a towering bridge has cut the transit time down to minutes, and brought Senegal and Gambia closer.
Indian Drugs, Sold Worldwide, Sometimes Deadly
Deaths believed to be linked to contaminated cough syrups in Gambia have brought attention to loose regulations in India and a lack of testing capacity in poor importing nations.
Cough Syrup: What We Know About Tainted Medicine from India
Tainted syrup from India may be connected to the deaths of dozens of children in Gambia, officials said. Indonesia banned cough syrup sales, though the link there is unclear.