The good news: Female genital mutilation has finally been banned in Uganda.

The bad news: Female genital mutilation was legal in Uganda until yesterday.

(CNN) — The Ugandan parliament unanimously passed a bill banning female genital mutilation, a traditional rite that has sparked an international outcry and is practiced in some African and Asian communities.

The practice, which involves cutting off a girl’s clitoris, is also called female circumcision. In some communities in eastern Uganda, it is practiced in girls up to age 15.

Convicted offenders face 10 years in prison, but if the girl dies during the act, those involved will get a life sentence, according to officials in the east African country.

“A majority of Ugandans felt it is a disgusting act, but you have to remember that this is a cultural belief that has been practiced for generations,” said Fred Opolot, the government spokesman. “That’s what took the bill so long to pass.”

Welcome to the 12th century, Uganda. What’s next? Abolishing slavery? Indoor plumbing?

About three million women and girls face female genital mutilation globally every year, and nearly 140 million have already undergone the practice, according to the United Nations.

Most of the victims live in Africa and Asia, including among some populations in India, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Disgusting.