Metro

Gambian lawmaker seeks to overturn ban on female genital mutilation

Published

1 month ago

April 9, 2024

After the first fines were given to people in Gambia for female genital mutilation last year, lawmaker Almaneh Gibba has begun his effort to overturn a 2015 ban on the practice.

Anti-FGM activists were happy with the decision because it was a rare win against a culture of impunity that usually protects offenders in countries where these kinds of mutilations happen. In October, about 180 groups from the public and private sectors signed an open letter asking the Gambia government to honour the rule against female genital mutilation.

Even though some people were worried about how light the sentences were—a $220 fine for three women accused of cutting eight baby girls— the law also made religious leaders in the Gambia angry, which is what led Gibba to try to remove the 8-year ban on what it calls “circumcision” of women. A bill presented by Gibba is now being looked at by Parliament.

It is “not just a legal imperative but a moral obligation,” Gambia’s former Vice President, Isatou Touray, now Gambia’s highest-profile campaigner against the practice, said in February. With the world watching, history will judge us based on the actions we take,” she wrote in an op-ed.

Gibba, an independent MP and government critic, told Reuters the ban was not wanted by most people in Gambia, a predominantly Muslim country where some believe cutting a part of the clitoris is required by Islam, and key to a girl’s passage to womanhood.

“We will not be dictated by Western philosophy and their views on what we do,” he said. “Who are they to tell us our culture, our religion, our traditional beliefs?”

According to the government, 73% of Gambian women between the ages of 15 and 49 have had FGM. A lot of these women had their clitoris and other parts of their genitalia cut off completely. This month, there will be a public hearing on the practice, and the results will be given to parliament before the final vote.

In the 2019-20 government health poll, 46% of circumcised Gambian women between the ages of 15 and 49 said they thought the practice should end. About 40% of guys also thought the same thing.

No country has ever eased the ban on FGM. Some people are worried that Gambia’s bill could give new pro-FGM activists in Africa more power, based on the idea of self-determination and the right to choose.

Related Topics:Featured female genital mutilation Gambia

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Metro

Church in Kasama warns government against misusing Cyber Security Act

Published

7 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

In Kasama District of Northern Province, the Church has issued a caution to the government regarding the use of the Cyber Security Act to intimidate, harass, or oppress citizens and political parties.

Reverend Joseph Nkonde, Chairperson of the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) for Kasama District, restated the importance of fair implementation of the law to prevent discontent among citizens.

Speaking to Zambia Monitor in Kasama, Nkonde stressed the necessity for the government to focus on the positive aspects of the law and refine problematic clauses to achieve the desired Act.

“In this age of information, today’s Zambia is vastly different from yesterday’s. Citizens now utilise cyberspace to access and disseminate information,” he said.

Nkonde highlighted that Cyber Security also pertained to media freedoms, which are crucial for democracy and the well-being of Zambians.

He cautioned the government against intimidating journalists or their media houses using laws like the Cyber Security Act, as it could impede their performance.

“It’s important to note that many people, especially in rural areas, are unfamiliar with or unaware of the Cyber Security Act. The government can use the media to educate them about its advantages and disadvantages,” Nkonde advised.

Regarding media freedom, Nkonde acknowledged government’s efforts to implement policies aimed at protecting journalists but stressed the need for further action to ensure their security.

He urged Parliament to consider enacting laws that safeguard journalists and, ultimately, ordinary citizens who rely on the disseminated information.

“I also want to caution ordinary Zambians against misusing social media and posting content that may sow division or prompt government action that could be perceived as harmful,” Nkonde added.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.

Metro

Nigeria targets 10,000MW hydropower through sustainable power project

Published

12 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, says the federal government is targeting10,000 megawatts through its Sustainable Power and Irrigation Project for Nigeria (SPIN) in collaboration with the World Bank.

Adelabu who disclosed this at during the African High-Level Roundtable on Sustainable Hydropower in the African Renewable Energy Mix of the 21st Century, held in Abuja on Wednesday, said the “primary objective of the project is to enhance the utilisation of existing storage facilities for both irrigation and hydropower generation.”

He added that the project aims to strengthen institutional frameworks related to integrated water resources management within Nigeria.

“SPIN aims to unlock additional 10GW combined capacity from existing dams with provision for hydro but not fitted, partially incomplete dams with provisions for hydropower, Greenfield projects and existing multipurpose dams that can be modified/redesigned and retrofitted,” Adelabu said.

The Minister who acknowled the immense potential for hydropower development in Africa, said it is important to also consider responsible development.

“We must address environmental concerns around dam construction and ecosystem disruption, alongside social impacts on local communities. This requires a commitment to sustainability, stakeholder engagement, and innovative solutions to financing these large-scale projects.”

The Minister also stated that for several decades, hydropower has played a significant role in Nigeria’s energy supply, contributing approximately 20 per cent to the nation’s total grid supply as of now.

Adelabu emphasised Nigeria’s wealth of water resources across its various basins while the country’s hydropower capacity is estimated at 14 GW, only around 15 per cent of this potential has been harnessed.

“The country has over 340 dams spread across different geo-political zones, under the management of the three government tiers and many are not optimally utilized or at risk of damage.

“For the small hydropower, a multitude of river systems, providing about 70 micro dams, 126 mini dams, and 86 small sites, supply a technically exploitable capacity of 3.5GW, but only 1.7per cent (0.06GW) of these resources are currently being tapped, while there are about 10GW of potential untapped capacities from the large and medium-sized hydropower,” he added.