ICPD Vision: End Harmful Practices

The Problem

WHO reports that 130 million women worldwide have been subjected to some form of female genital cutting (FGC), a harmful traditional practice which ranges from light piercing around the genital area to excision of part or all of the external genitalia and stitching of the vaginal opening (infibulation). The consequences can be severe and disabling, and can even result in death. In Africa and the Gulf Region, 28 countries routinely practice female genital cutting, with prevalence rates varying from 5 per cent in the Democratic Republic of Congo to 98 per cent in Somalia.

The Promise

“Governments should give priority to developing programmes and policies that foster norms and attitudes of zero tolerance for harmful and discriminatory attitudes, including son preference, which can result in harmful and unethical practices such as prenatal sex selection, discrimination and violence against the girl child and all forms of violence against women, including female genital cutting, rape, incest, trafficking, sexual violence and exploitation.” Key Actions for further Implementation of the Programme of Action of the ICPD, Para 48.

How are we doing?

UNFPA has been instrumental in persuading governments to pass legislation and other laws banning the practice of female genital cutting. A full 99 per cent of the 151 countries responding to UNFPA's global survey in 2003 indicated that they had adopted policies, laws or constitutional provisions to protect the rights of girls and women. Twenty countries have outlawed FGC, and it has already disappeared in many places.

However, legal action by itself is usually not enough to bring about change, which is one of the lessons UNFPA has learned through its initiative on culturally sensitive approaches to programming. Legislation needs to be buttressed by broad advocacy campaigns involving opinion makers and local power structures. This is occurring in many well-designed programmes. In many places, change has ocurred quickly, especially when local agents of change and women themselves spoke out or took action.