Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a practice mostly found across Africa, Asia and the Middle east. FGM is deeply rooted in old beliefs that in some way, cutting women will ensure “acceptable sexual behavior”, premarital virginity and marital fidelity. Many communities still hold the belief that FGM will control a woman’s sexual libido.
FGM is practiced in more than 28 countries in Africa, its burden is seen in Nigeria, Egypt, Mali, Eritrea, Sudan, Central African Republic, and northern part of Ghana where it has been an old traditional and cultural practice of various ethnic groups.
FGM is widely practiced in Nigeria, and with its large population, Nigeria has the highest absolute number of cases of FGM in the world, accounting for about one-quarter of the estimated 115–130 million circumcised women worldwide.
FGM has been justified for years with various reasons, traditional, cultural religious even up to a family’s honor. In recent years, FGM is being recognized as an harmful tradition and practice with no basis in tradition which has led to a somewhat decline in the practice.
A lot of reasons are given to justify FGM, from it being a tribal traditional practice that is needed to preserve the culture , to superstitious beliefs practiced for preservation of chastity, family honor, hygiene, aesthetic reasons, protection of virginity and prevention of promiscuity etc.
Looking at it critically from the lens of a modern world who knows and sees things differently, FGM is just one of the endless practices that enabled patriarchy and the deep-rooted inequality of the sexes. A way to stifle women of sexual desires (no basis for this) and make them less sexual beings and rid them of their sexuality.
There is a host of medical threats that is caused by FGM and literally no health benefits. The harms of FGM include;
- severe pain
- excessive bleeding (haemorrhage)
- genital tissue swelling
- fever
- infections e.g., tetanus
- urinary problems
- wound healing problems
- injury to surrounding genital tissue
- shock
- death.
Long-term consequences can include:
- urinary problems (painful urination, urinary tract infections);
- vaginal problems (discharge, itching, bacterial vaginosis and other infections);
- menstrual problems (painful menstruations, difficulty in passing menstrual blood, etc.);
- scar tissue and keloid;
- sexual problems (pain during intercourse, decreased satisfaction, etc.);
- increased risk of childbirth complications
- need for later surgeries:
- psychological problems (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, low self-esteem, etc.);
There is an urgent need to abolish this inhumane and unhealthy practice that is a violation of human rights of women and girls a violation of rights to health, security and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, degrading treatment, and the right to life as FGM could result in death.
We have to collectively lend our voice and pitch in to save women and young girls that are at a risk of enduring this barbaric act and say no to cuting, no to FGM. #EndFGM