🎉 for women's rights in the Gambia

In this issue, I'm shining the light on women's rights in The Gambia (how often do you hear about this small West African country?) and how wars impact vaccination campaigns for children, especially in Sudan and Yemen. Other than that, you'll learn about how China wants to become a marathon heavyweight, how a photographer escaped El-Fashir in Sudan, what so-called World War II was like for the many African soldiers that were drafted into the respective armies. Plus, the Arab world's first electro dance music label and an unforgettable Japanese female politician. And so much more!

Gambia votes to keep the ban on FGM

What happened:
The National Assembly of the Gambia said, "no, we will keep the ban on female genital mutilation (FGM)," reports The New York Times' Ruth Mclean. This is a big reversal from a few months ago, when many conservative and religious members were pushing to overturn the ban.

Why this matters:
FGM involves the partial or total removal of female external genitalia and can cause serious health issues like infections, bleeding, infertility, and childbirth complications. A UN report from March said over 230 million girls and women worldwide have undergone FGM.

Did you know?
Former Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh, now in exile, outlawed FGM in 2015, saying it was outdated and not required by Islam. Parliament passed the first law banning the practice that same year, with penalties of up to three years in prison. However, FGM hasn't been eradicated, with the first convictions only happening last year. The law is based on the African Union's Maputo Protocol on the Rights of Women, which The Gambia has ratified.

Tell me more:
34 out of 53 National Assembly members voted to keep the ban, writes AFP. Speaker Fabakary Tombong Jatta announced, "The Women's (Amendment) Bill 2024 is hereby deemed rejected." The bill had caused deep public division in the Muslim-majority country since March. Introduced by MP Almameh Gibba, it claimed "female circumcision" was a cultural and religious practice.

Who's behind this legal victory?
Women's rights activists. They worked tirelessly to educate communities about the dangers of FGM. "This is a significant win for women and girls in The Gambia and beyond," said legal scholar Satang Nabaneh. Activist Absa Samba, an FGM survivor, added, "A lot more work is needed because the law doesn't necessarily change beliefs."

What do people in the Gambia think about FGM?
Despite the ban, many Gambians still support FGM. UNICEF reports 73% of women and girls aged 15 to 49 have undergone the procedure. "I don't believe that female circumcision is dangerous at all," said Kaddy Sanno, a Muslim woman protesting outside the National Assembly. Some imams and lawmakers, believing it to be an Islamic practice, led efforts to repeal the ban.

What now?
"This vote is a significant victory for women and girls in The Gambia," said Divya Srinivasan from women's rights NGO Equality Now. A joint statement from UN agencies praised the decision but warned that progress remains fragile and continued advocacy is needed. Amnesty International also welcomed the decision but called for more efforts to uphold the law and change attitudes towards FGM.

The UN warns that not enough people are getting vaccinated because of all the wars

What happened:
Around 14.5 million kids didn't receive a single vaccine dose in 2023 (it was 2.7 million more in 2019), according to UNICEF and the World Health Organization. More than half of these kids live in countries facing armed conflicts or other crises, creating extremely fragile and vulnerable situations.

Why this matters:
Global immunization rates have stayed mostly the same since 2022. Worryingly, we're still not back to the 2019 vaccination levels.

Tell me more:
The new WHO and UNICEF estimates, known as WUENIC, show trends in vaccinations against 14 diseases, highlighting the ongoing need for catch-up efforts and strengthening healthcare systems. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell pointed out, "Many countries are still missing too many kids." She emphasized that closing this immunization gap needs a global effort. Governments, partners, and local leaders must invest in primary healthcare and community workers to ensure every child gets vaccinated, and overall healthcare is improved.

What's causing all this?
Healthcare services are still facing disruptions (especially in places where there is war). It's also tricky to get vaccines where they need to go, and if they do get them (some still don't), people are hesitant to get vaccinated. It's a whole thing.

Give me some details:
For example, Sudan's war has caused a massive increase in unvaccinated kids, jumping from about 110,000 in 2021 to around 701,000 last year. Yemen's numbers are also up, with 580,000 kids unvaccinated, compared to 424,000 three years ago. Along with the 14.5 million "zero-dose" kids in 2023, there are 6.5 million "under-vaccinated" kids who didn't get all their recommended shots. Both numbers are higher than in 2022. Officials said on Monday that despite some progress,...