And although FGM is often perceived as being connected to Islam, perhaps because it is practiced among many Muslim groups, not all Islamic groups practice FGM, and many non-Islamic groups do, including some Christians, Ethiopian Jews, and followers of certain traditional African religions.
FGM is thus a cultural rather than a religious practice. In fact, many religious leaders have denounced it. Culture and tradition provide a framework for human well-being, and cultural arguments cannot be used to condone violence against people, male or female. Moreover, culture is not static, but constantly changing and adapting.
Nevertheless, activities for the elimination of FGM should be developed and implemented in a way that is sensitive to the cultural and social background of the communities that practice it. Behaviour can change when people understand the hazards of certain practices and when they realize that it is possible to give up harmful practices without giving up meaningful aspects of their culture. Every child has the right to be protected from harm, in all settings and at all times.
The movement to end FGM — often local in origin — is intended to protect girls from profound, permanent and completely unnecessary harm. The evidence shows that most people in affected countries want to stop cutting girls, and that overall support for FGM is declining even in countries where the practice is almost universal such as Egypt and Sudan.
Ending FGM will take intensive and sustained collaboration from all parts of society, including families and communities, religious and other leaders, the media, governments and the international community. Ethnicity is the most significant factor in FGM prevalence, cutting across socio-economic class and level of education.
Members of certain ethnic groups often adhere to the same social norms, including whether or not to practice FGM, regardless of where they live. The FGM prevalence among ethnic Somalis living in Kenya, for example, at 94 per cent, is similar to the prevalence in Somalia, and far higher than the Kenyan national average of 21 per cent, according to the most recent information available.
But there are exceptions. In Senegal , for example, there are major variations in FGM prevalence among Mandingue women, depending on where they live — 55 per cent in urban areas versus 84 per cent in rural areas. Similarly, FGM prevalence among the Poular ranges from 41 per cent in urban areas to 56 per cent in rural areas.
Women around the world are speaking out about their experiences and advocating change. I assumed we were going for a holiday. A bit later they told us that we were going to be infibulated. The day before our operation was due to take place, another girl was infibulated and she died because of the operation. We were so scared and didn't want to suffer the same fate. But our parents told us it was an obligation, so we went. We fought back; we really thought we were going to die because of the pain.
You have one woman holding your mouth so you won't scream, two holding your chest and the other two holding your legs. After we were infibulated, we had rope tied across our legs so it was like we had to learn to walk again. We had to try to go to the toilet. If you couldn't pass water in the next 10 days something was wrong. We were lucky, I suppose. We gradually recovered and didn't die like the other girl.
But the memory and the pain never really go away. I told them how much the operation had hurt me, how it had traumatized me and made me not trust my own parents. The decided they did not want this to happen to their daughter. Medicalized FGM can take place in a public or private clinic, at home or elsewhere.
This strategy reflects consensus between international experts, United Nations entities and the Member States they represent. In addition, the global commitment to eliminate all forms of FGM by is clearly stated in target 5.
Even when the procedure is performed in a sterile environment and by a health-care professional, there can be serious health consequences immediately and later in life.
Medicalized FGM gives a false sense of security. In addition, there is no medical justification for FGM. Advocating any form of cutting or harm to the genitals of girls and women, and suggesting that medical personnel should perform it is unacceptable from a public health and human rights perspective.
Several studies have shown that girls can be subjected to FGM repeatedly when members of their family or community are dissatisfied with the results of earlier procedures.
And because medical personnel often hold power, authority and respect in society, it can also further institutionalize the procedure. This programme works with governments, civil society organizations, networks of religious leaders, parliamentarians, youth and human rights activists, and academia to:. The Joint Programme recognizes that eliminating FGM requires communities to make a collective and coordinated choice so that no single girl or family is disadvantaged by the decision.
This approach has seen progress. Civil society organizations are implementing community-led education and dialogue sessions on human rights and health.
These networks are helping a growing number of communities declare their abandonment of FGM. A shift has occurred among religious leaders, many of whom have gone from endorsing the practice to actively condemning it. There has been a growing number of public declarations de-linking FGM from religion and supporting of abandonment of the practice. Health workers have been trained to treat complications caused by FGM, including the integration of FGM care into medical education curriculum.
Referral systems that build coordination between health providers and community actors and organizations have also been strengthened. Several countries have passed new national legislation banning FGM and developed national policies with concrete steps to achieve the abandonment of FGM.
Radio networks have aired call-in shows about the harm caused by FGM. The use of media to galvanize public opinion against the practice has helped change perceptions and transformed public perceptions of girls who remain uncut. Penalties range from a minimum of six months to a maximum of life in prison.
Young people. Population matters. Here are five more things you should know about FGM: Girls at a school in Kenya, where many students are receiving support after running away from home to avoid FGM and child marriage. FGM comes in many forms. She has recorded a popular song about ending the practice. FGM arises from — and perpetuates — gender inequality.
Some members of her community practice FGM. In Indonesia, a midwife explains that FGM is not recommended. Screenshot from the film Sunat Perem. Communities can collectively choose to abandon FGM. FGM can be abandoned. But there are ways to end FGM. Back to page. Share on Facebook. Share on Twitter. Related Content. If you're a health professional caring for a patient under 18 who's had FGM, you have professional responsibilities to safeguard and protect her.
UK website. FGM is often performed by traditional circumcisers or cutters who do not have any medical training. But in some countries it may be done by a medical professional. Anaesthetics and antiseptics are not generally used, and FGM is often carried out using knives, scissors, scalpels, pieces of glass or razor blades. FGM often happens against a girl's will without her consent, and girls may have to be forcibly restrained.
FGM can make it difficult and painful to have sex. It can also result in reduced sexual desire and a lack of pleasurable sensation. Talk to your GP or another healthcare professional if you have sexual problems that you feel may be caused by FGM, as they can refer you to a special therapist who can help. In some cases, a surgical procedure called a deinfibulation may be recommended, which can alleviate and improve some symptoms.
Some women with FGM may find it difficult to become pregnant, and those who do conceive can have problems in childbirth. If you're expecting a baby, your midwife should ask you if you have had FGM at your antenatal appointment. It's important to tell your midwife if you think this has happened to you so they can arrange appropriate care for you and you baby.
FGM can be an extremely traumatic experience that can cause emotional difficulties throughout life, including;. In some cases, women may not remember having the FGM at all, especially if it was performed when they were an infant. Although not always the case, it most commonly occurs between the ages of 0 to 15 years and the age is decreasing in some countries.
The practice has been linked in some countries with rites of passage for women. FGM is usually performed by traditional practitioners using a sharp object such as a knife, a razor blade or broken glass. There is also evidence of an increase in the performance of FGM by medical personnel. Immediate consequences of FGM include severe pain and bleeding, shock, difficulty in passing urine, infections, injury to nearby genital tissue and sometimes death.
The procedure can result in death through severe bleeding leading to haemorrhagic shock, neurogenic shock as a result of pain and trauma, and overwhelming infection and septicaemia , according to Manfred Nowak, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Almost all women who have undergone FGM experience pain and bleeding as a consequence of the procedure. The event itself is traumatic as girls are held down during the procedure.
Risk and complications increase with the type of FGM and are more severe and prevalent with infibulations. In addition to the severe pain during and in the weeks following the cutting, women who have undergone FGM experience various long-term effects - physical, sexual and psychological.
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