GAMCOTRAP in partnership with AMAM - a women’s right organisation against female genital mutilation in Spain conducted sensitisation meetings in ten villages and towns in Girona, Catalunya district, Spain.  

The twelve-day bridge building visit was an opportunity to create awareness on women and children’s rights, traditional practices, and the Spanish government’s protocol against female genital mutilation in particular. The participants were African immigrants, mostly Gambians from the Upper River Region and the Central River Region. There were also some Senegalese, Malians and Mauritanian immigrants amongst them.

 The professional groups from Justice, Health, Immigration, and Social Services were also sensitised on FGM. During the sensitisation tour different issues affecting immigrants came out during the discussions, such as violence against women, disruption of girls education through marriage, practicing female genital mutilation amongst girls born in Spain, integration in Spanish society, etc.

The executive director of GAMCOTRAP, Dr Isatou Touray, focused her discussion on Women and Children’s rights, while the religious adviser to GAMCOTRAP, Imam Baba Leigh, enlightened the participants on the fact that FGM is not an Islamic obligation and medical evidence has proven the harm it does to women and children.  

He also discussed the importance of partnership and the role of men as heads of households.  On her part the programme coordinator of GAMCOTRAP, Amie Bojang-Sissoho presented audio visual materials on FGM and the actitivies of GAMCOTRAP.

The national coordinator of TOSTAN in The Gambia, Bakary Tamba, shared the TOSTAN approach to the elimination of female genital mutilation and the promotion of democracy.

Meanwhile, the executive director of GAMCOTRAP, Dr Isatou Touray, has proceeded to Norway to present a paper on FGM under the auspices of Musu Kangbeng Kafo, a women’s group of Gambians in Norway.

Earlier this month, Dr Isatou Touray was re-elected as the secretary general of the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices at its 7th general assembly in Cairo, Egypt.  The general assembly was attended by all 28 national committees throughout Africa and international organisations.  

Officially opening the assembly, the first lady of Egypt, Mrs Suzanne Mubarak praised “the work that IAC is undertaking to assist many African societies, in eradicating harmful traditional practices, ensuring gender parity, peace and development.