KAP gloriously joins this FGM awareness campaign to call everyone, collectively and individually, to power imbalances between men and women, female genital mutilation perpetuates those inequities by limiting opportunities for women and girls to exercise their rights and realize their potential. Humanitarian crises including COVID-19, now in its third year, have hindered efforts to prevent female genital mutilation so that an estimated two million more girls over the next decade will be subjected to the practice than before pandemic times. Massive humanitarian crises including COVID-19, now in its third year, have hindered efforts to prevent female genital mutilation so that an estimated two million more girls over the next decade will be subjected to the practice than before pandemic time
While great progress has been made – girls are a third less likely to undergo this harmful practice compared to 30 years ago – the pace must be 10 times faster to reach the global target of zero incidences by 2030. And while an estimated $2.4 billion is needed to achieve that goal in 31 priority countries, only $275 million is expected to be spent, indicating a resource gap of about $2.1 billion.
This year’s 2022 ‘s theme is Accelerating Investment to End Female Genital Mutilation — investing in programmes to provide services and response for those affected and those at risk and in developing and enforcing laws and fortifying institutional capacity to address eradicating female genital mutilation. Empowering girls, too, with access to education, health care and income opportunities, can accelerate the demise of this harmful practice with no known medical or health benefits.
Stakeholders from governments to civil society organizations to communities have made encouraging strides. Let us build on the momentum by acting with greater urgency
Critical Facts supporting FGM:
Each year, around 4 million girls worldwide are at risk of undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM), with most girls cut before the age of 15.
There has been significant progress made in eliminating the harmful practice, but more is needed, and fast, if we are to end it once and for all.FGM is a violation of girls’ and women’s fundamental human rights.
What is female genital mutilation?
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a procedure performed on a woman or girl to alter or injure her genitalia for non-medical reasons. It most often involves the partial or total removal of her external genitalia. FGM is a violation of girls’ and women’s fundamental human rights.
Why is it practiced?
In many of the countries where FGM is performed, it is a deeply entrenched social norm rooted in gender inequality where violence against girls and women is socially acceptable.
The reasons behind the practice vary. In some cases, it is seen as a rite of passage into womanhood, while others see it as a way to suppress a woman’s sexuality. Many communities practice genital mutilation in the belief that it will ensure a girl’s future marriage or family honour. Some associate it with religious beliefs, although no religious scriptures require it.
Why is female genital mutilation a risk for girls and women?
FGM has no health benefits and often leads to long-term physical and psychological consequences. Medical complications can include severe pain, prolonged bleeding, infection, infertility and even death. It can also lead to increased risk of HIV transmission.
Women who have undergone genital mutilation can experience complications during childbirth, including postpartum haemorrhage, stillbirth and early neonatal death.
Psychological impacts can range from a girl losing trust in her caregivers to longer-term feelings of anxiety and depression as a woman.
Progress to end FGM needs to be at least 10 times faster if the practice is to be eliminated by 2030.
How does FGM affect childbirth? What are the consequences for childbirth?
A recent study found that, compared with women who had not been subjected to FGM, those who had undergone FGM faced a significantly greater risk of requiring a Caesarean section, an episiotomy and an extended hospital stay, and also of suffering post-partum haemorrhage
How prevalent is female genital mutilation?
While the exact number of girls and women worldwide who have undergone FGM remains unknown, at least 200 million girls and women aged 15–49 from 31 countries have been subjected to the practice.
There has been significant progress made in eliminating the practice in the past 30 years. Young girls in many countries today are at much lower risk of being subjected to FGM than their mothers and grandmothers were in the past.
However, progress is not universal or fast enough. In some countries, the practice remains as common today as it was three decades ago. Over 90 per cent of women and girls in Guinea and Somalia undergo some form of genital mutilation or cutting.
Progress to end FGM needs to be at least 10 times faster if the practice is to be eliminated by 2030.
How is the practice evolving?
In many countries, FGM is increasingly carried out by trained health care professionals – in violation of the Hippocratic Oath to “do no harm”. Around 1 in 3 adolescent girls (15-19 years) who have undergone FGM were cut by health personnel.
Medicalizing the practice does not make it safer, as it still removes and damages healthy and normal tissue and interferes with the natural functions of girls’ and women’s bodies.
In some communities, the practice has been driven underground rather than ended, leading to girls being subjected to cutting at younger ages amidst greater secrecy.
Opposition to the practice is building though. In countries affected by FGM, 7 in 10 girls and women think the practice should end. In the last two decades, the proportion of girls and women in these countries who want the practice to stop has doubled.
Global non profit organisations such as The UNFPA-UNICEF conducts Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation: Delivering the Global Promise to launch the 2022 theme for the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.
Along with universal Global efforts that have accelerated massive progress towards the elimination of female genital mutilation (FGM)for the past decade. KAP has also showed it’s stance against FGM and supported UNICEF motives against such atrocities against women and raised awareness every year on February 6 in order to fight this global horrific deeds against women . This year too we send shoutouts and good wishes for FGM survivors and condemn and show absolute zero tolerance against such a hideous crime and terror act against women. Our key partners support global initiatives to hinder and prosecute this animalistic beasts who practise this atrocious act against women. Women too show massive hatred towards this misdeeds performed by misogynistic personality types who are against the women empowerment. Such personalities must be condemned before the laws and prosecuted mightily and our awareness campaign at KAP supports just such initiatives. Until every woman is freed against this cruelty, we all shall remain as slaves.
However, sustaining these achievements in the face of humanitarian crises such as the coronavirus pandemic, population growth, and economic deprivation presents a considerable challenge. If global efforts are not significantly scaled up, the number of girls at risk of being subjected to FGM will be higher in 2030 than it is today. Accelerated and increased investment in women and girls is KEY to the elimination of FGM.
Come, let’s join hands to fight this horrendous crime against women with KAP!
