NITA BHALLA MALI’S failure to outlaw female genital mutilation (FGM) is being challenged in West Africa's highest court by rights groups, who accused the country yesterday of failing to protect girls and women from "a grave and systematic violation". Nine out of 10 women and girls in Mali have undergone the ancient ritual, which usually involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia and can cause serious health problems, according to the United Nations. Women's rights NGO Equality Now said it had jointly filed a case with two partner organisations at the Economic Community of West African…