FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.

Author: Rural and Urban Grassroots Business Women Association (RUGBWA), a nongovernmental organization operating in Cameroon.

INTRODUCTION                                            

Female Genital Mutilation is recognized internationally as a violation of human rights, health and the integrity of girls and women. This barbaric and inhuman act is common among young girls between the ages of 12-49 and mostly teenagers. About 3 million girls are at risk of experiencing this awful practice. Many countries in Africa, Middle East, Latin America and some parts Asia carryout this practice. And most of these countries look at FGM as an ancestral practice in which they must hold onto despite the harm caused by this practice. FGM has no medical justification or health benefits. It has long term consequences for physical, sexual, and psychological health.

What is female genital mutilation?

Female genital mutilation comprises all procedures that involve Partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. Female genital mutilation (FGM) is one of the most prevalent harmful cultural practices against women and girls around the world.

Most of the people or countries that carry FGM advance reasons such as custom and tradition, respecting norms of their society, village or country. Another reason advanced for FGM by perpetrators is that they intend to reduce the sexuality (sexual activeness) of their children in order to keep them from engaging into sexual activity.

This Female Genital Mutilation has different forms or types and consequences which are totally negative to the women and girls. This will be discussed as follows.

The first type of Female genital mutilation is Clitoridectomy. Clitoridectomy is the Partial or total removal of the clitoris (a small, sensitive and erectile part of the female genitals) and the prepuce (the clitoral hood or fold of skin surrounding the clitoris).

The second type is excision. This involves Partial or total removal of the clitoris and the inner labia, with or without excision of the outer labia (the labia are the ‘lips’ that surround the vagina).

The third type of FGM is the infibulation method. This is the Narrowing of the vaginal opening by creating a covering seal. The seal is formed by cutting and repositioning the inner or outer labia, with or without removal of the clitoris.

The fourth way is any other method which in involves the use of harmful substances such needles and cauterism which involves using fire with aim of tightening the lips or the labia.

FGM Statistics

The WHO estimates that more than 3 million girls are estimated to be at risk for FGM annually while more than 200 million girls and women alive today have been subjected to the practice. There is growing evidence that FGM takes place across the world, in numerous countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, Europe, and North America, among indigenous and/or diaspora communities. In Africa, the practice is mainly concentrated in the Western, Eastern, and North-Eastern regions. In Cameroon, FGM is mainly practiced by the Ejagham tribe situated in the Southwest Region.

• Global statistic of FGM

FGM is currently documented in 92 countries around the world through nationally representation data, indirect estimates (usually in countries where FGM is mainly practiced by diaspora communities), small-scale studies, or anecdotal evidence and media reports.

In Africa, FGM is known to be practiced among certain communities in 33 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe Certain ethnic groups in Asian countries practice FGM, including in communities in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In the Middle East, the practice occurs in Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, as well as in Iraq, Iran, Jordan and the State of Palestine. In Eastern Europe, recent info shows that certain communities are practicing FGM in Georgia and the Russian Federation. In South America, certain communities are known to practice FGM in Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Peru. And in many western countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom and various European countries, FGM is practiced among diaspora populations from areas where the practice is common.

Global representation of FGM

In Cameroon, FGM is mainly practiced by the Ejagham tribe situated in the Southwest Region and the extreme north. There is little available  data on the trends of the practice of FGM in Cameroon.

Consequences of FGM

This practice in reality has no health benefit on girls and women but causes severe bleeding, pain, shock and problems in urinating as well as complications during child birth. This also increases the risk of the death of a baby during birth and that of the mother. It leads to complete or partial loss of sexual anxiety and even in this case, there so much pain during sexual intercourse leading to so much bleeding putting the life of the victim at stake. There are also risks of infections such as blood diseases and other terminal diseases.

What is required to be done to curb FGM?

• Female genital mutilation can be eliminated via widespread sensitization on site and online on social media platforms by creating awareness in parents and youths on the disadvantages of FGM on them and on the society as a whole.
• To promote the elimination of female genital mutilation, coordinated and systematic efforts are needed and they must engage whole communities and focus on human rights, gender equality, sexual education and attention to the needs of women and girls who suffer its devastating consequences.

What has been done so far?

FGM just like other forms of gender base violence requires gross attention and intervention. There are Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and conventions engaged in the fight against FGM. These organizations have the vision to ensure a world free of all forms of FGM where women and girls are empowered and can fully enjoy their human rights (End FGM, 2020). Their mission is to end all forms of female genital mutilation as well as join the forces of communities and other organizations and build synergies and cooperation with all relevant actors. Some of these NGOs and conventions involved in the fight against FGM are listed as follows;

1. Rural and Urban Grassroots business Women Association

Since its creation, RUGBWA has been working tirelessly to ensure that women enjoy their rights in the society and one the activities is the continuous sensitization of the FGM .

• Desert Flower Foundation

The Desert Flower Foundation was established in 2002 by Waris Dirie and her friends, with the goal to forever eradicate FGM, educating and informing people to support and save girls from FGM.

• Equality Now

This is an international organization that advocates for a world where women and girls have control over their bodies. The organization pushes for the adoption of laws that protect girls and supports activists who work in their local communities to put an end to FGM.

• Wallace Global Fund

Amongst other goals, the organization is committed to putting an end to FGM by 2030. To achieve this, the Fund partners up with local communities mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, and works closely with them to end the practice.

• UNFPA and UNICEF

Since 2008, UNFPA, jointly with UNICEF, leads the largest global programme to accelerate the elimination of female genital mutilation. The Joint Programme currently focuses on 17 countries in Africa and the Middle East and also supports regional and global initiatives.

Over the years, this partnership has seen significant achievements. Through the support of the joint program, more than 6 million girls and women received prevention, protection and care services related to FGM. Some 45 million people made public declarations to abandon FGM. 532,158 girls were prevented from undergoing FGM.

• Daughters of Eve

Daughters of Eve is a non-profit organization working to protect young women and girls who are at risk from FGM. It aims to help girls affected by FGM by raising awareness and providing support services, with an aim to bring this practice to an end.

The organization recognizes FGM as gender-based violence which highlights inequalities between men and women and puts in danger the health, dignity, autonomy, and security of its victims.

• African Women Organization

The organization is actively collaborating with other organizations and government agencies that deal with issues of immigrants and women’s welfare. Since 1998, the organization’s area of priority is the fight against FGM. The organization works on raising awareness and ending this practice in immigrant communities whose members originate from FGM-risk countries.

• World Health Organization

 One of the programs of the WHO is fighting to end FGM. The World Health Assembly passed a resolution on the elimination of FGM in 2008. The WHO works to end FGM by focusing on providing training, policy, and guidelines to health professionals who can provide counseling and medical care for women and girls affected by FGM.

• Beyond FGM

This is an organization with a vision of a world free from genital mutilation. The organization’s mission is to work with young girls and their families, as well as African midwives, to help educate all those involved in FGM and change their views on the issue. The organization works with and supports grassroots organizations in order to strengthen their social change communications to end FGM.  

1. The UN Refugee Agency

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is the UN agency established to protect refugees, forcibly displaced and stateless people. Besides gathering data with regard to these vulnerable groups, the UNHCR also provides emergency assistance such as healthcare, shelter, food, and clean water. UNHCR is committed to supporting global efforts to end FGM. It actively works on eliminating FGM among refugees who are placed in refugee camps and in some urban areas in countries such as Yemen, Kenya, and Ethiopia.

1. FORWARD

Foundation for Women’s Health Research and Development (FORWARD) is one of the leading African women-led organizations that work to end violence against women and girls. In its fight to end FGM, FORWARD works with local communities to save girls at risk of FGM and supports women who were affected by this practice. It works in Africa, as well as in immigrant communities in the UK and Europe.

1. The Girl Generation

This is an African organization that acts globally and whose members share the vision that FGM can and must end in this generation. The Girl Generation serves as a platform for initiating social change and bringing together thousands of voices under one identity that challenges the social norms that hold FGM in place. It supports grassroots organizations to address local contexts and strengthen their social communications to end FGM. It mobilizes partnerships with individuals, the African diaspora, and national organizations and builds the base of youth, the media, community leaders, and corporations.

1. Africa Coordinating Centre for the Abandonment of FGM

Africa Coordination Centre for the Abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation (ACCAF) was established in 2012 with the goal to address the gaps in ending FGM in the African region. The aim of the Centre is to strengthen the capacity of research and monitor the progress of FGM abandonment and improved care for women and girls who suffer from the negative consequences caused by this practice.

1. Plan International

This is a human rights and humanitarian organization that advances equality for girls and the rights of children. Plan International fights against FGM by working with community leaders, parents, governments, children, and young people to transform their behaviour towards the practice and raise awareness to put an end to FGM.

REFERENCES

• End FGM. (2020). End FGM European Network official website. Retrieved February 1, 2023, from https://www.endfgm.eu/who-we-are/vision-and-mission/ 
• Human Rights Career. (2023). 20 Organizations Fighting Female Genital Mutilation.  Retrieved February 1, 2023, from https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/organizations-fighting-female-genital-mutilation/
• International Planned Parenthood Federation. (2018). Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a human rights violation. Retrieved February 1, 2023, from https://www.ippf.org/blogs/female-genital-mutilation-fgm-human-rights-violation
• Mutola, S., Ngambouk, V. P., Ngo, V. N., Ogem, I. O. and Tabi, C. T. (2021). The Fight against Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting among the Ejaghams of Cameroon: Kinks in the Legal Approach and Implications for Public Health Practice. International Journal of Sexual Health; 34(1): 160-168.
• World Health Organization. (2023). Female genital mutilation fact sheet. Retrieved February 1, 2023, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation
• Annual Report on FGM]
  
  #EndFGM” 2021
  https://www.un.org/en/observances/female-genital-mutilation-day#:~:text=UN%20Action,%23EndFGM

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