AJS expresses solidarity with Malian organisations mobilised against FGM

The Association of Senegalese Women Jurists (AJS) has expressed its solidarity with Malian organisations working against female genital mutilation (FGM). In a statement, the Senegalese organisation reaffirmed its support for mobilisation aimed at ending the practice.

The AJS believes FGM cannot be reduced to a cultural or social practice. Its president, Aminata Fall Niang, describes it as a violation of human rights, affecting in particular the safety, dignity, physical and psychological integrity, and health of women and girls. The association also points to the issue of equality between women and men.

A call for collective action

For the AJS, eliminating FGM requires collective, coordinated and sustained action. According to the association, this mobilisation must bring together civil society, public authorities, legal and health professionals, community leaders, the media and the communities concerned.

The organisation says its commitment is grounded in international and regional instruments on women’s rights, notably citing CEDAW, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Maputo Protocol.

Prevention, justice and support

The AJS advocates a human rights-based approach combining prevention, education, awareness-raising and community empowerment. It also cites support for survivors and the prosecution of perpetrators among the tools needed to combat the practice.

The association highlights the role of African associations of women jurists in advocating for stronger legal frameworks, survivors’ access to justice and changes in social norms. It says it is ready to expand its cooperation with the AJM through the sharing of experience, advocacy initiatives, awareness-raising and capacity-building for stakeholders.

The AJS thus reiterates its commitment alongside Malian organisations to protect and promote the rights of women and girls in Africa.