Greene County Democrat

Month: April 2024

  • Madison Mills crowned as Ms. Debutante 2024

    L to R : Paris Henderson, Madison Mills and Katelyn Perry  and Debutantes : Kalyjah Allen, Paris Henderson, Shaniah Jones, Amber Lewis, Madison Mills, Tia Moore, Katelyn Perry, Ariel Richardson, Hannah Robinson. Escorts : Demarcus Allen, Darrack Davis, TJ Hatch, Jayden Lewis, Marcus Steele II, Tavis White , Camden Williams, John Foster

    Greene County Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated held its 38th Debutante Ball on Saturday, April 6, 2024 at the Eutaw Activity Center in Eutaw, AL. Nine lovely young ladies made their debut to families and friends.

    Debutante Madison Mills of Tuscaloosa, AL was crowned Miss Debutante 2024. First Runner up was Debutante Katelyn Perry of Moundville, AL and Second Runner up was Debutante Paris Henderson of Epes, AL.

    The guests enjoyed an elegant evening that was An Extraordinary Affair. Dr. Florence Williams is the Chapter President and Mrs. Nancy Cole and Ms. Sharon White were Committee Co-Chairs.

  • Congresswoman Terri Sewell holds ‘Congress in Your Community’ meeting in Forkland

    Forkland Mayor Charlie McAlpine and Congresswoman Terri Sewell

    On Thursday, April 4, 2024, at Noon, Congresswoman Terri Sewell held a ‘Congress in Your Community’ visit to the Forkland City Hall, a municipality in southern Greene County.
    Congresswoman Sewell, who represents the Alabama 7th Congressional District which stretches from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa and the western Black Belt counties of Alabama, including Greene County, was introduced by Mayor Charlie McAlpine of Forkland.
    Sewell made brief remarks about her work n Congress in passing the FY 2024 budget and working on the FY 2025 budget. Then she moved around informally talking to her constituents from table to table.
    Sewell said this format gave her a chance to hear about the needs and problems of people in her district. “It was like holding office hours in the field,” she remarked.
    More than a 100 people attended the meeting and received a lunch courtesy of the Town of Forkland.

  • Newswire : A flame of remembrance for victims of the Rwanda genocide

    President and First Lady of Rwanda place wreath at genocide memorial

    Apr. 7, 2024 (GIN) – Rwandans are marking the 30th anniversary of a genocide that took the lives of an estimated 800,000 mostly ethnic Tutsis over 100 days, between April and June 1994.
     
    Wreaths were laid at the Kigali Genocide Memorial by President Paul Kagame and first lady Jeannette Kagame. The President then lit the “Flame of Remembrance”, before making a speech at an arena in Kigali, capital of Rwanda.
     
    The Flame will be lit for seven days at four genocide memorial sites which were inscribed on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in September.
    Other commemorative activities will be conducted across the country, including a Walk to Remember in Kigali, which will be followed by a night vigil.
     
    A senior program advisor on transitional justice at the Kenya Human Rights Commission, Martin Mavenjina, emphasized the significance of remembering the genocide. “It’s not just as a moment of remembrance,” he said, “but an opportunity for victims and survivors to reflect, heal, and look towards the future. “It reassures the world that never again will such an event happen anywhere on this continent or even anywhere (else) in the world.”
     
    Supporters of Kagame’s rule applaud him, saying that without his firm grip on power, Rwanda could slide back to the chaos that could ignite another genocide.
    But human rights leaders and activists differ with that view. Kagame, they say, has oppressed his opponents, killed and imprisoned his critics. Dissidents are jailed, free speech is curtailed and political opponents often die in murky circumstances, even those living in the West.
     
    Ethnic divisions persist under the authoritarian president who has ruled for just as long, writes New York Times reporter Declan Walsh.  Soldiers under President Kagame have been accused of massacre and plunder in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
     
    This view was supported by the transitional justice advisor. He urged Kagame to loosen his grip on power and allow for more freedom. 
     
    For decades, Western leaders have looked past Mr. Kagame’s abuses, comments Walsh. “Some have expressed guilt for their failure to halt the genocide when Hutu extremists massacred people mostly from Mr. Kagame’s Tutsi ethnic group.”
     
    Kagame took that view a step further, blaming the inaction of the international community for allowing the 1994 genocide to happen. “It was the international community which failed all of us, whether from contempt or cowardice,” Kagame said in a speech after laying a wreath at a memorial site holding the remains of 250,000 genocide victims in Kigali.
     
    The killings were ignited when a plane carrying then-President Juvénal Habyarimana, a Hutu, was shot down over Kigali. The Tutsis were blamed for downing the plane and killing the president and became targets in massacres led by Hutu extremists that lasted over 100 days. Some moderate Hutus who tried to protect members of the Tutsi minority were also killed.
     
    Some Western leaders have now expressed regret.
     
    Bill Clinton, after leaving office, cited the Rwandan genocide as a failure of his administration. French President Emmanuel Macron, in a prerecorded video, said that France and its allies could have stopped the genocide but lacked the will to do so. Macron’s declaration came three years after he acknowledged the “overwhelming responsibility” of France — Rwanda’s closest European ally in 1994 — for failing to stop Rwanda’s slide into the slaughter. 
     
    But in truth, few voices were heard in opposition to the U.S. — few, at least, with the will and means to back up their arguments with substantial commitments of their own.
     
    Even after the storm broke, the U.N. reaction was to retreat, to reduce rather than increase its forces in the riven country.
     
    Some Rwandans fear that nothing has been learned — that the outside world will intervene too late, with too little, elsewhere. Rwanda also has had troubled relations with its neighbors. 

    Recently, tensions have flared with Congo, with the two countries’ leaders accusing one another of supporting armed groups. Relations have been tense with Burundi as well over allegations that Kigali is backing a rebel group attacking Burundi. And relations with Uganda are yet to fully normalize after a period of tensions stemming from Rwandan allegations that Uganda was backing rebels opposed to Kagame.

  • Newswire : Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” gallops to No. 1, making history on Billboard 200 Music

    Cover of “Cowboy Carter” album

     

    By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    Beyoncé has once again proven her dominance in the music industry as her latest album, “Cowboy Carter,” rides triumphantly to the top of the Billboard 200 chart. Released on March 29, the album’s debut at No. 1 marks a stellar achievement for the superstar and stands as the highest-selling album of 2024 thus far.

    With an impressive 407,000 equivalent album units, “Cowboy Carter” secures Beyoncé’s eighth chart-topping album, solidifying her status as a musical powerhouse. Fans and critics alike said the remarkable feat reflects her artistry’s enduring appeal and influence.
    With her latest achievement, Beyoncé becomes the first Black woman to debut at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart, highlighting her groundbreaking impact across genres and the album’s wide-ranging appeal that resonates with audiences worldwide.

    Streaming counted as pivotal in “Cowboy Carter’s” triumph, with 232,000 units attributed to streaming equivalent albums. This marks Beyoncé’s most significant streaming week ever, demonstrating her ability to captivate audiences across digital platforms.

    In addition to digital success, the impact of “Cowboy Carter” is felt in physical sales, with traditional album sales totaling 168,000 units. The album’s limited edition vinyl releases also made a significant mark, selling 62,000 copies and claiming the title of the best-selling vinyl album of 2024, a testament to the enduring appeal of physical music.

    Beyoncé’s chart-topping prowess extends beyond “Cowboy Carter.” She surpasses Janet Jackson to claim the fourth-most No. 1 albums among women on the Billboard 200, placing her alongside icons such as Madonna and Barbra Streisand.

    “Cowboy Carter” represents the second chapter of Beyoncé’s ambitious “Renaissance” trilogy project, a musical journey that intrigues with its diverse array of collaborators and musical influences. The album’s thematic depth and sonic innovation resonate with fans and critics alike, solidifying Beyoncé’s status as a visionary artist.

    Reflecting on the album’s inspiration, Beyoncé recently recounted her journey to embrace the country music genre. “Cowboy Carter was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed,” Beyoncé wrote on Instagram regarding her 2016 performance at the Country Music Association Awards, where backlash on social media was immediate and drenched in racial overtones.

    “But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives to educating on our musical history.”

  • Newwire : Millions across North America awed by Total Solar Eclipse phenomenon

    By Stacy M. Brown
    NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent


    The eagerly anticipated celestial spectacle of a total solar eclipse finally descended upon North America after a seven-year hiatus, captivating millions of skywatchers on Monday. With its grand entrance at the Mexican beachside resort town of Mazatlan, the eclipse marked the beginning of a mesmerizing journey along the “path of totality,” stretching across various regions of the continent.

    Eclipse enthusiasts congregated at numerous vantage points along the path, which spanned from Mexico’s Pacific Coast through Texas, traversing 14 other U.S. states before reaching Canada. Cities like Wilmington, Del., Philadelphia, Penn., Baltimore, Md., and New York City witnessed citizens stepping outside their usual routines to behold this historic event. Similar scenes unfolded in urban centers across Illinois, Ohio, and Texas, where individuals paused to witness the cosmic marvel.

    At a duration of up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds, the 2024 total eclipse exceeded its predecessor’s duration in 2017, which lasted up to 2 minutes and 42 seconds. According to NASA, total eclipses can range from a fleeting 10 seconds to an astonishing 7-1/2 minutes.

    Other cities along the path of totality, such as San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas in Texas; Indianapolis, Indiana; Cleveland, Ohio; Erie, Pennsylvania; both Niagara Falls, New York, and Niagara Falls, Ontario, along with Montreal, Quebec, hosted eager eclipse-watchers. Approximately 32 million people in the United States reside within the path of totality, with federal officials predicting an additional 5 million to witness the phenomenon.

    Numerous eclipse-watching events unfolded at bars, stadiums, fairgrounds, and parks along the eclipse’s trajectory, offering diverse opportunities for people to experience this rare event. Scientists estimated that the entire process, from the initial moment the moon begins to obscure the sun to the culmination of totality and the subsequent return to normalcy, took about 80 minutes.

    Veteran eclipse observers have described the moments preceding totality as ominous, with shadows taking on a peculiar sharpness and sunlight assuming an eerie hue. Just before totality, a phenomenon known as “shadow bands” may manifest, creating shimmering patterns akin to those seen at the bottom of a swimming pool.

    As totality approaches, stars become visible in the midday sky, while the abrupt darkness causes temperatures to plummet. “When a solar eclipse reaches totality, nocturnal wildlife sometimes wakes up, thinking that it’s nighttime, and non-nocturnal wildlife might think it’s time to head to sleep,” NASA officials wrote on the agency’s website.

    The final glimpse of brilliant sunlight before totality creates the enchanting “diamond ring effect,” wherein a bright spot appears along the lunar edge as the sun’s corona forms a luminous ring around the moon.
    According to NASA, the next solar eclipse that can be seen from the contiguous United States will occur on Aug. 23, 2044. There will also be a solar eclipse visible in Spain in 2026.

     

  • Newswire : President Biden unveils sweeping student loan relief plans, targeting racial disparities

    By Stacy M. Brown
    NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

     

    President Joe Biden has announced comprehensive plans to provide substantial relief to borrowers, particularly those from marginalized communities disproportionately burdened by debt. The proposed measures, announced on Monday, April 8, would represent a significant step towards making higher education more accessible and equitable for millions of Americans.

    Despite Republican opposition and a previous rejection by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Biden-Harris administration is implementing yet another round of student loan forgiveness measures.

    Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has prioritized reforming the federal student loan program, focusing on easing borrowers’ financial burdens. The administration has already approved debt cancellation for 4 million borrowers, offering them much-needed breathing room and economic mobility.

    White House officials say that the newly unveiled plans build upon these efforts and are expected to provide relief to over 30 million borrowers, combined with previous actions taken by the administration. One of the central aims of the proposals is to address the disproportionate debt burden borne by communities of color, mainly Black and Latino borrowers.

    Statistics reveal stark racial disparities within the student loan system. Black and Latino borrowers, who are more likely to take on student loans to afford a college education, often find themselves saddled with higher levels of debt compared to their white counterparts. According to a White House Fact Sheet, 20 years after enrolling in college, the typical Black borrower from the 1995–96 school year still owed a staggering 95% of their original debt.

    Under the new plans, the administration wants to extend relief to borrowers facing various financial challenges, including those who owe more than their initial loan amount due to accrued interest, individuals eligible for loan forgiveness who have yet to apply, and borrowers experiencing hardship in repayment. Additionally, the proposals would offer debt cancellation for borrowers who entered repayment decades ago and assist those enrolled in low-financial-value programs.

    Community college borrowers, who represent a significant portion of the student population, would also benefit from the administration’s initiatives. The Biden-Harris administration’s SAVE Plan, which aims to make community college more affordable, projects that 85% of community college borrowers could be debt-free within ten years. However, Latino students comprise a substantial proportion of community college enrollees and need help completing their degrees and repaying loans.

    White House officials said, overall, the administration’s plans signal a concerted effort to tackle the student loan crisis and address systemic inequalities within the higher education system. They said the proposals aim to foster greater economic opportunity and advancement for all Americans by providing targeted relief to communities disproportionately affected by student debt
    .  
    “These historic steps reflect President Biden’s determination that we cannot allow student debt to leave students worse off than before they went to college,” U.S. Undersecretary of Education James Kvaal said in a statement.
    Kvaal added that Biden had directed the department “to complete these programs as quickly as possible, and we are going to do just that.”

  • Irate customers complain about high water bills at Greene County Water and Sewer Authority meeting

    By: John Zippert, Co-Publisher

    Over one hundred angry customers crowded the Greene County Courthouse at the  March 26, 2024, meeting of the Greene County Water and Sewer Authority to complain that their most recent March bills were too high.

    The three-member board of David Bailey – Union, Chairperson, William Morgan – Dollarhide, and Walter Beck – Forkland, were present. Vincent Atkins, staff manager for the authority and other staff were present.

    They first heard a report from Ed Morris, Sentell Engineering, about two major grant projects, each for $900,000 or more, from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) for improvements and expansions of the water and sewer systems. These grants are part of President Biden’s Infrastructure Improvement Act funding.

    After the engineering report, people in the audience began complaining about recent high water bills they received for the month of March. Christine Carter of Tishabee Community said she received a bill for $787.40 for thousands of gallons of water, when her usual bill is around $80, never over a $100 a month. Marvin Childs said his parents bill in Mt. Hebron Community was $742 for two months and the volume of water used increased from 1,200 to 36,000 gallons. Ms. Blanche Williams was charged over $300 for 29,000 gallons for 53 days. She said, she paid her bill, but her usual bill was around $30 per month.

    Willie Austin of the Forkland area said most of the people who got outrageously high bills were senior citizens of low income, living on fixed incomes that could not afford to pay the bills and the Board needed to do something about this problem.

    Vincent Atkins and David Bailey, Board Chair, tried to explain the situation. Atkins said that the Water Authority was having difficulties with the electronic interface between the meters and the computer at the office.
    Because of these problems, the Authority decided to read the meters manually for the March bills. New self-reporting meters have been ordered.

    Atkins said he would meet with customers individually and adjust their bills based on each person’s individual usage records. Some of the meter readings may reflect leaks or water left running during cold weather to keep pipes from freezing. Because of problems with the meters, some customers may have gotten a lower base rate bill, for the past few months, until their meter could be manually read, which could account for some of the increases. The Authority’s base rate for water is $23.71 for the first 2,000 gallons and $3.55 for each additional 1,000 gallons.

    Board member William Morgan moved and Board member Walter Beck, seconded a motion, “That the Board null and void all March bills from the Greene County Water Authority.” Morgan said he was going to follow-up this motion with a motion to send new bills to all customers for the lower flat rates they had been paying.

    Chair Bailey, after consulting with Barrown Lankster, Legal Counsel for the Authority, who was also present ruled the motion to “null and void all bills” as an illegal motion. Bailey said, “Our attorney has advised that we cannot provide public services – in this case – water, for free. We must charge for the water we provide as a public utility.”

    In a subsequent interview, Bailey and Atkins said that 80% of the March bills from 1,400 customers had been already paid. To invalidate all the bills would have been a problem. Atkins said he would meet with customers who had a problem with their bills and adjust them based on usage records.

    Board Chairperson Bailey never entertained the motion to null and void all bills because he felt it was illegal. He tried to get Morgan to withdraw the motion or discuss it in an Executive Session, but Morgan refused to withdraw his motion. Attorney Lankster offered to seek an Attorney General’s opinion if the motion was legal.

    Near the end of the three-hour meeting, which began at 6:00 PM, Morgan announced that since he and Beck were in favor of the motion and since there were only three voting members of the Board, that his motion had been passed. Morgan proclaimed that his motion and others to send out new lower bills and reprimand Atkins for insubordination had been passed by the Board.

    In an interview after the meeting, Bailey said,” Morgan’s motion was illegal. I knew in my heart it was the wrong thing to do. Customers who want to dispute their bills are encouraged to see our staff and get their bills adjusted and sign up for a payment plan if they are unable to pay their total bill.”

  • Eutaw City Council urged by Fiscal Advisor to increase water and sewer rates

    At its regular meeting on March 26, 2024, the Eutaw City Council was presented with financial reports, by Ralph Liverman, Fiscal Advisor on several of its funds including the General Fund, Sewer and Water Funds, 3 Cent and 7 Cent Gas Tax Funds. These reports were for the first five months of the current fiscal year, which began on October 1, 2023, until the end of February.

    In his report, Liverman pointed out that both the Water and Sewer funds were running a deficit each month of the fiscal year. The city’s Water Fund had revenues of $283,399.14 with expenditures of $363,128.88, for a deficit of $60,004.72 for the five-month period. The Sewer Fund had revenues of $94,133.56 and expenditures of $178,569.62, for a deficit of $84,436.06 for the five months.

    In his accompanying report, Liverman said, “The Council must raise both water and sewer rates and do it sooner rather than later! Current collections will not support your present expenditures and debt repayments to USDA Rural Development on loans to improve the system. He also urged a review of personnel, overtime, and other expenditures, looking for ways to cut expenses in this department.

    Liverman also indicated that the City Water and Sewer Department needed to negotiate new rates with the Consolidated Catfish Plant, which had been receiving a special incentive rate since it opened 25 years ago.

    Liverman said in the past, funds from electronic bingo were used to cover the Water and Sewer deficits, but the city was no longer receiving bingo distributions from the Sheriff of Greene County, to handle these and other expenses.

    CPA Rick Harbin, the City’s auditor, also pointed out in a previous meeting, when reviewing the city’s audit report and finances, that an increase in water and sewage rates was needed.

    The current rate for water, for residential customers in Eutaw is: $14.41 for the first 2,000 gallons and $5.39 for each additional 1,000 gallons. The sewer rate is $8.59 for the first 2,000 gallons and $1.55 for each additional 1,000 gallons. There are higher rates for small business and commercial customers.

    Sarah Levelle, Chief Water Clerk stated, “We have had some rate studies by different agencies, recommending increases. We have not increased water and sewer rates since 2015 but the cost of all our supplies and workers has increased.”

    The Council deferred action on water and sewer rates until its next working session where they could discuss the issue in more detail.

    Liverman also recommended close attention to expenditures in the city’s General Fund, especially for street repairs and for the use of city owned facilities such as the R. H. Young Community Center (formerly Carver school) and the National Guard Armory. He said rental for the use of these facilities was not covering expenditures. He recommended closing one or both facilities. Earlier in the meeting, the Council had tabled a proposal for establishing rental rates at the R. H. Young Community Center, until the next scheduled work session.

    The Council approved a resolution declaring ‘Tony Rice Day’ for April 25, 2024, the one-year anniversary of Rice’s untimely death in an accident, while working to repair a water main in Branch Heights. The Mayor also honored Dr. Sandrall Hullett, former medical director of West Alabama Health Services and the Greene County Health System, with a moment of silence on her passing.

    In other business, the Eutaw City Council:

    • Scheduled a Council Work Session for April 8, 2024, at 2:00 PM at City Hall.
    • Approved a loan of $5,000 to the Eutaw Chamber of Commerce for painting a mural, with repayment from reimbursable state grant funds, which can only be received after an invoice is presented for work completed.
    • Approved use of meeting space, at no cost, for a meeting on March 28, 2024, of the Black Belt Community Foundation, Greene County Associates, at R. H. Young Community Center. The meeting was to explain the availability of Arts and Community Grants by the foundation.
    • Approved closing City Hall for a holiday on Good Friday, March 29, 2024.
    • Approved payment of bills.

  • RBMS holds Academic Pep Rally for ACAP testing

    RBMS band, directed by Mr. Kirin Green, leads Academic Pep Rally for ACAP Testing

    -Staff and stakeholders support students at Academic Pep Rally.
    -L to R: RBMS Principal Mrs. Tammy Anderson; Dr. Carol P. Zippert, Curriculum Coordinator, Mrs. Barbara Martin, School Board President Mr. Leo Branch, Superintendent Dr. Corey Jones and Greene County Sheriff Jonathan Benison.

    -RBMS scholars perform line dance and chant

    On the eve of the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program (ACAP) testing, scheduled for Tuesday April 2, 2024, Robert Brown Middle School held an Academic Pep Rally to excite and encourage scholars to “do their best on the tests.” The scholars were directly involved in the Pep Rally. Each grade level (4th through 8th) performed a cheer, a chant, or a line dance. The middle school band, under the direction of Mr. Kirin Green, accompanied the class presentations, astounding everyone with its outstanding performance.
    The presentations were energetic and raised the excitement of the students. According to RBMS Principal, Mrs. Tammy Anderson, “The purpose of the student engaged pep rally was to build confidence in our scholars and assure them the teachers and entire administration are with them and want them to succeed.”
    Principal Anderson opened the pep rally inviting RBMS Counselor Dr. A. McEwen to extend the welcome and share testing tips with the students. She noted that the staff has done its best to prepare the students, now the scholars must take the lead. “Be sure to get a good night’s rest, have a good breakfast, stay calm and believe you will do your best,” she stated.
    Mrs. B. Martin, Curriculum Coordinator for the school system, provided a summary of the importance of the ACAP testing. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires students to take the ACAP tests which were created in 2018 and 2019 to align Alabama’s course of study. Students in 3rd through 8th grades are tested in English language arts and math. Students in 4th, 6th and 8th grades are are also tested in science. The 11th graders take the ACT test.
    Encouraging remarks were also presented by Superintendent Dr. Corey Jones, School Board President Mr. Leo Branch, Greene County Sheriff Jonathan Benison and and former school board member Dr. Carol P. Zippert.
    Principal Anderson extended appreciation to the community stakeholders who took the time to share in the Academic Pep Rally supporting the scholars at RBMS.

  • Newswire : Gambian women furious over vote to restore female circumcision

    Gambian women protest female genital mutilation

    Apr. 1, 2024 (GIN) – ‘Over my dead body!’
     
    That was how one Gambian woman expressed her frustration with a vote by the country’s majority male legislators to end the prohibition of female genital mutilation (FGM). The practice has been on the rise in recent years despite activist campaigns to outlaw it.
     Lawmaker Almameh Gibba presented the repeal bill earlier this month, arguing the ban violates citizens’ rights to practice their culture and religion. Gambia is an overwhelmingly Muslim country.
     
    If the bill is passed, Gambia would become the first country to reverse a ban on FGM.
     
    The vote comes just a month after the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, observed annually on Feb. 6. This year it was observed with the theme “Her Voice, Her Future.”
     
    Gambian lawmakers have already voted to advance the measure that removes legal protections in effect since 2015 for millions of girls.
    Ndeye Rose Sarr, head of the local United Nations Fund for Population Activities, shared some of the historical background: “From the age of 10, girls begin to be looked at as a potential bride for an older man. And if she has not yet undergone FGM, there will be those in her community who will want to make sure that she does.”
     
    The rate of FGM in The Gambia is around 76 per cent of women in the 14-to-49-year age range, and about 51 per cent for girls up to the age of 14. “That means that, on average, every other young girl you see in The Gambia has undergone this mutilation,” Sarr said.
     
    Globally, over 200 million women and girls are estimated to have undergone some form of genital mutilation and girls aged 14 and younger account for about 44 million of those who have been “cut.”
     
    The practice is almost universal in Somalia, Guinea and Djibouti, with levels of 90 per cent or higher, while it affects no more than 1 per cent of girls and women in Cameroon and Uganda.
     
    Contrary to popular perception, female genital mutilation is also practiced in the U.S. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half a million women and girls have either undergone or are at risk of undergoing the procedure in the future. Most, but not all, are immigrants to the U.S.
     
    The  ban was put in place during the tenure of former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, whose government opposed the practice.
     
    Isatou Keita, writing for the online publication Semafor, had this to say about FGM. “From my perspective as a Gambian woman, banning FGM is highly commendable… As a staunch advocate for human rights and gender equality, I firmly believe that every individual has the right to live free from violence, coercion, and discrimination, including harmful cultural practices like FGM.”
     
    “The ban against FGM signifies a step towards empowerment and autonomy, granting us agency over our bodies.”
     
    World leaders overwhelmingly back the elimination of female genital mutilation by 2030 as one of the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals. The U.N. considers it achievable if nations act now to translate that commitment into action.