For Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)  Alpha Badjie, a recent training on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) marks a turning point. The session challenged long-held misconceptions about the practice and deepened his understanding of its harmful impact on the health, rights, and dignity of women and girls.  

As part of the newly-launched UNFPA-Catalan project entitled Building Girls Agency in Ending the Practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in The Gambia, UNFPA in The Gambia, in partnership with Wassu Kafo- a local NGO working to End FGM- recently convened a specialised training for the Gambia Police Force officers. Supported by the expertise of two visiting officers from the Catalan Police, the session was anchored on the harm and the lived realities of FGM survivors. Like many, DSP Badjie entered the room with long-held misconceptions about FGM.

"Before we came into this training, I had some bad perspectives regarding FGM," Badjie admits.

"In the past, I used to think cutting girls would only reduce or control their sexual desire. It was unknown to me that there are definitely a lot of health implications, and these are now very clear to me."

This shift in perspective came through a combination of visual storytelling and first-hand testimony. After watching a film detailing the procedure and hearing from a survivor, the abstract concept of tradition was replaced by the reality of harm.

 "From now henceforth, I believe the fight against FGM has started from my side."Badjie says firmly.

While the medical implications moved the heart, the legal obligations remain a priority. The Gambia has joined a global movement by banning FGM, yet enforcement requires deep understanding.

CSP Sarjo Sanyang, another participant views the training as a vital tool for the next generation of police officers.

"This training is very important to me as an officer because I'll be able to filter the message to my juniors" Sanyang explains.

"We are expected to enforce the law. We need to know the laws that govern the ban of FGM and Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) so that whenever we have such cases, we will know it is illegal and enforce the law to the fullest."

Sanyang emphasises that FGM is not just a health issue, but a profound violation of human rights that causes lasting trauma. By equipping officers with the ability to identify Sexual and Gender-Based Violence cases correctly, the Gambia Police Force is better positioned to act as a shield for the vulnerable.

For DSP Badjie, the path forward is clear:

"This training will help my work greatly. I will be able to engage people more and take action."