Rising up against female genital mutilation

2 February 2017

An estimated 200 million women and girls alive today have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM), a practice that can cause chronic pain, infections, childbirth complications or even death. © UNFPA Egypt/Sima Diab
UNFPA and UNICEF lead a global programme dedicated to ending the practice. “The amount of suffering we go through as women who had FGM is huge,” said Hoda Hamed, who works with the programme in Egypt. © UNFPA Egypt/Sima Diab
Although there is no medical justification for FGM, about 1 in 5 girls who undergo it have the procedure performed by a trained medical professional. In Indonesia, a midwife explains that FGM is not recommended. Screenshot from the 2015 film Sunat Perem
Survivors of FGM can be powerful advocates for change. Fatuma Ahmed, in Ethiopia, was subjected to FGM as an infant. “I will continue to teach my community to spare their daughters this ordeal,” she said. © UNFPA/Abraham Gelaw
The media is also raising awareness of the dangers of FGM. Kenyan journalist Diana Kendi (left) won the 2016 Efua Dorkenoo Pan Africa Award for Reportage on FGM. The award was presented by Dolapo Osinbajo, wife of Nigeria's vice president. © UNFPA Nigeria
Such efforts are working. “We as women can't mistreat our children, our girls,” said Marinela Panchi Cortes, a member of the Emberá indigenous group in Colombia. FGM persists among certain Emberá communities. © UNFPA/Daniel Baldotto
“Girls should grow up as they were brought into this world,” Ms. Cortes said. © UNFPA/Daniel Baldotto
In the Gambia, Aja Babung Sidibeh used to gather girls for cutting. But she has stopped, and now urges others to do the same. “If we never go out of the dark, we will never see the light,” she said. © UNFPA/Kasandi Mulaa

Related content

Events

International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation

Some 200 million women and girls alive today have been affected by female genital mutilation, which is customarily done between infancy and age 15. There is no medically sound reason for what is recognized as a violation of human rights, and potential consequences range from...

6 February 2021

see event >

News

Reformed cutters protect the next generation from female genital mutilation in Kenya

More than 10,000 girls over 30 years. That’s how many girls three women here cut in female genital mutilation (FGM) rituals – almost one girl a day, every day, spanning three decades.

4 February 2021

read story >

Publications

Compendium of Indicators on Female Genital Mutilation

Several compendiums of indicators have been produced in the last 10 years in the fields of gender, youth, sexual and reproductive health and rights and child protection. Although these include some indicators of Female Genital Mutilation, this current compendium builds...

1 December 2020

read publication >

Related content

Pages