FGM, which involves the removal of the clitoris and labia from young girls, is an intensely painful procedure which is most often performed without anaesthetic.
On top of this, it causes bleeding, infections and lifelong health consequences for the girls subjected to it.
More than 130 million women worldwide - most of whom are in Africa or the Middle East - are thought to have undergone the procedure, and in The Gambia - 76% of women in the country have had it.
But now in a shock move, the president of the country Yahya Jammeh has said the practice will be BANNED with immediate effect.
Anti FGM activist Jaha Dukureh told the Guyardian they were ‘amazed’ at the government action.
‘I didn’t expect this in a million years. I’m jus really proud of my country and I’m really, really happy.’
FGM also often involved the sewing up of the vagina, which makes sex intensely painful, though often more pleasurable for the man.
There are many issues surrounding the practice - but one of those is to stem female desire, and make sure it doesn’t get ‘out of contra’ by cutting off the main pleasure centres.