Malian women push back against renewed support for female genital mutilation

A coordinated social media campaign defending female genital mutilation emerged in Mali in August, reigniting debate over women’s bodily autonomy and tradition, according to Premium Times. The campaign followed posters displayed in Bamako by a non-governmental organisation opposing the practice, which remains legal in Mali.

Anonymous accounts responded with AI-generated images portraying men supporting excision under the slogan “yes to excision,” framing it as protective of girls. Mali’s latest health survey shows 89 per cent of women aged 15 to 49 have undergone the procedure. Women’s rights advocates, health professionals and Mali’s National Human Rights Commission have pushed back, with the commission calling for FGM to be formally criminalised.