FGM/C at a Glance
• FGM/C is a dangerous and potentially life-threatening procedure often performed on a girl against her will.
• An estimated 130 million girls and women alive today have had their human rights violated by this practice and every year three million girls are subject to it.
• This practice largely occurs in Africa and the Middle East but also in immigrant populations.
What is Female Genital Mutilation?
Female genital mutilation/cutting includes “a range of practices involving the complete or partial removal or alteration of the external genitalia for nonmedical reasons.”
Every year, three million girls and women are subjected to genital mutilation/cutting, a dangerous and potentially life-threatening procedure that causes unspeakable pain and suffering.
Why does FGM/ occur?
This harmful practice is a deeply entrenched social convention: when it is practiced, girls and their families acquire social status and respect. Failure to perform FGM/C brings shame and exclusion.
Where does FGM/ occur?
FGM/C is a global concern. Not only is it practiced among communities in Africa and the Middle East, it is also practiced in immigrant communities throughout the world. It continues to be one of the most persistent, pervasive and silently endured human rights violations.
According to a WHO estimate, between 100 and 140 million women and girls in the world have undergone some form of FGM/C, indicating the massive scale of this practice. Recent analysis reveals that some three million girls and women are cut each year on the African continent (Sub-Saharan Africa, Egypt and Sudan). Of these, nearly half are from two countries: Egypt and Ethiopia. In the countries of northeast Africa (Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan), it ranges from 80 to 97 per cent.
FGM/C is a human rights violation
FGM/C is a human rights violation often performed on girls against their will. The United Nations identifies the procedure as both a harmful traditional practice and a form of violence.
FGM/C:
• Violates basic human rights such as right to life and highest standard of health
• Denies physical and mental integrity
• Denies right to freedom from violence and discrimination
• Denies right of child to development, protection, and participation
Ending FGM/C will promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality and improve maternal health.
Physical trauma of FGM/C
The specific impact of FGM/C on the health of a girl or woman depends on the extent and type of cutting, skill of the operator, cleanliness of the tools and environment, and physical condition of the girl or woman.
Severe pain and bleeding are common immediate consequences. As the majority of procedures are carried out without anesthetic, the pain and trauma experienced can leave a girl in a state of medical shock. In some cases, bleeding can be protracted and girls may be left with long-term anemia. Infection is common, particularly when the procedure is carried out in unhygienic conditions or using unsterilized instruments.
FGM/C and fatality
In extreme cases, FGM/C can also violate a girl or woman’s right to life. Fatalities are often due to severe and uncontrolled bleeding or to infection after the procedure. FGM/C may also contribute to or cause maternal death. FGM/C jeopardizes the health and survival of the children of women who have undergone the procedure.
Psychological trauma of FGM/C
For many girls and women, FGM/C is an acutely traumatic experience that leaves a lasting psychological mark and may adversely affect their full emotional development. The experience of FGM/C has been related to a range of psychological and psychosomatic disorders such as disturbances in eating and sleeping habits, moods and cognition. Symptoms of these include sleeplessness, recurring nightmares, loss of appetite, weight loss or excessive weight gain, as well as panic attacks, difficulties in concentrating and learning, and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
FGM/C related to school drop out
FGM/C is increasingly indicated as a factor in school dropout rates for girls. The health problems, pain, and trauma experienced by girls concerned can lead to absenteeism, poor concentration, low performance and loss of interest. In many cultures, girls who undergo the procedure are considered to have become adults ready for marriage and, consequently, may be removed from school.
We must break the cycle of harmful traditions and prejudices against girls and draw attention to the importance of girls’ education to promote development and social progress in their community.
What needs to be done?
• Implement programs and educate the public about the harm caused by this practice, including campaigns in the media
• Enforce current legislation and enact new legislation with extraterritorial reach to improve protection of children from harmful traditional practices
• Make health personnel and traditional birth attendants responsible for explaining harmful consequences of FGM/C.
The promotion and protection of human rights must be supported through the commitment of governments. It is their duty to adopt a wide range of measures, including an effective legal framework, as well as to promote awareness-raising and education campaigns.
The 2001 Resolution of the UN General Assembly on traditional or customary practices affecting the health of women and girls reaffirms the obligation of governments to promote and protect human rights and collect and disseminate data regarding FGM/C and other practices and:
• Adopt and implement legislation
• Provide support services for victims
• Address the training of health workers and other personnel
• Empower women and strengthen their economic independence
• Mobilize public opinion
• Address traditional practices in education curricula
• Promote men’s understanding of their roles and responsibilities
• Work with communities to prevent the practice