Gambia Communities Mobilize to Stop Child Marriage

In Jarra Soma, Fatou Bah’s own experience of being forced into marriage at 16 spurred her to join a UNFPA‑supported mothers’ club that now prevents other girls from early unions. The club’s rapid intervention saved a 13‑year‑old from a planned marriage, keeping her in school. Across the country, Imam Modou Mamba uses Friday prayers in Njaba Kunda to counsel fathers, elders and young men, warning that child marriage harms education, health and future prospects. UNFPA estimates 150,415 Gambian girls will be at risk of child marriage by 2030, and 73 % of women aged 15‑49 have undergone female genital mutilation, often before age five. These grassroots efforts aim to break the cycle of patriarchal norms that link FGM and early marriage.