Press Release

Statement by the United Nations in The Gambia on the Death of a One-Month-Old Girl Following alleged Female Genital Mutilation

14 August 2025

Press Release

The United Nations in The Gambia expresses its profound sorrow and strong condemnation following the death of a one-month-old girl resulting from alleged Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) based on available information. This tragic incident is a stark reminder of the urgent need to end this harmful practice, which the United Nations Secretary-General has described as “ a horrific act of gender-based violence.”

While the United Nations respects cultural and religious traditions, these cannot be invoked to justify practices that inflict immediate and lifelong health and psychosocial harm to women and girls. As affirmed in the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, States “should condemn violence against women and should not invoke any custom, tradition, or religious consideration to avoid their obligations with respect to its elimination.”

FGM is a criminal offence under the Gambian Women (Amendment) Act, 2015, and contravenes The Gambia’s obligations under multiple international and regional instruments, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. The law must be fully and consistently enforced. Accountability is essential for anyone who performs, procures, facilitates or condones FGM.

The United Nations commends the Gambia Police Force and the Ministry of Health for their swift response and commitment to enforcing the law. We urge all authorities to ensure that justice is served and that those responsible for this act are held fully accountable. We also applaud the Bundung Maternal Health Centre for its vigilance in reporting these cases and safeguarding the lives of women and children.

With 73 per cent of women aged 15 to 49 affected, The Gambia remains among the countries with the highest prevalence of FGM globally. This practice continues to endanger the health, rights and lives of girls and women across the country.

The United Nations reaffirms its commitment to supporting national efforts to eliminate FGM. We stand firmly alongside the tireless work of the Government, civil society organizations, faith-based groups, youth leaders, survivors and community movements in promoting the dignity, rights and well-being of women and girls.

No child should ever suffer or lose their life to a practice that is entirely preventable. The United Nations in The Gambia will continue working with the Government to advance sustainable development and ensure the protection and rights of every child and individual, leaving no one behind.

Mr. Karl Frédérick Paul

Resident Coordinator for the Republic of The Gambia

+220 4494734

A citizen of Haiti, Mr. Karl Frédérick Paul brings 20 years of experience in development and humanitarian work, primarily in NGO leadership positions in complex environments. He began his development career as a field officer in disaster prone island Haiti and has since worked in coordination and leadership roles across Africa and Latin America. His most recent postings have been as Resident Representative for Plan International in Burkina Faso, Benin and Country Director for CARE in Haiti. In recent years, he was worked in a variety of leadership positions across Africa (Angola, Tunisia, Libya, DR Congo, Burundi, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire) actively contributing to development solutions for these Nations and aligning with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As a seasoned professional, Mr. Paul brings hands-on expertise in leading international organizations with a strong focus on development programming, humanitarian preparedness and response, and social cohesion strategies, all contributing to the attainment of SDGs. His extensive experience spans multiple development sectors, involving collaboration with diverse stakeholders. Possessing robust analytical and conceptual skills, he has always demonstrated a profound understanding of sustainable development dynamics, poverty reduction, and social injustice. A dedicated leader, Mr. Paul brings extensive experience in delivering development programs, conducting policy dialogue and advocacy, fostering long-term equitable partnerships, and leading strategy development on transformative entry points, key transitions, that have essential catalytic and multiplier effects across the SDGs. He advocates that such transitions require a consideration of multiple policy levers spanning economic, social and environmental dimensions.

Furthermore, Mr. Paul is an outspoken feminist and strong advocate for climate action, for green and blue economies. He is a convener of people and connector of ideas that help countries to unlock their potential with confidence at the future. Driven by a results-oriented mindset, he emphatically believes in the transformative power of collaborative action and trust to collaborative and inclusively deliver sustainable solutions contributing to the SDGs.

Mr. Paul has a Master’s in Business Administration, Master’s Degree in Strategic Management from the University of Belgrano in Buenos Aires Argentina and a Bachelor Degree in Finance from Quisqueya University in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He was accepted for a PhD in International Development at the London School of Economics in 2021. He is fluent in French, English, Portuguese, Spanish, Creole, German and intermediate Arabic. In his free time, Mr. Karl-Frederick Paul enjoys doing crossfit and as a classical pianist, he spends time playing pieces from his preferred classical baroque repertoire.