In 2012, the UN General Assembly designated February 6th as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, to amplify and direct the efforts on the elimination of this practice.
Ending Female Genital Mutilation by 2030
We often do not understand how deeply ingrained female genital mutilation is in the cultures that practice it. We have to learn to understand why just passing laws that forbid FGM will not change the practice. Apart from the physical mutilation, the “cutting” of a girl has conflicting psychological implications that influence her life as well. The procedure is part of the transformation of a girl into a woman. Without FGM a girl will never reach the status of a woman, somebody who is worth being married, and will be shunned even by women. Men who married “uncut” women are also subjected to discrimination. The pain and discomfort resulting from FGM make sexual relations difficult and also lead to psychological stress in marriage relationships, particularly in the form of feelings of guilt in the mind of the woman if the relationship fails.
FGM is a vicious circle. The cultural tradition demands it and it leads to pain and suffering, both physically as well as mentally. Refusing FGM also leads the shunning by traditional communities which can cause psychological problems. Girls subjected to FGM are in an ambivalent situation: on the one hand, they have suffered and continue to suffer physically; on the other hand, they are proud of being traditional “cut” women, who have a higher status than girls.
The rituals can not just be forbidden, they must be changed. The transition from girls to women needs alternative rituals that are recognized by the local traditional culture to be valid. And that is often the problem. Traditions resist change. That is why education is so vital. We need men and women to advocate for an end to FGM and to show the negative impact of the traditional views. In many countries, FGM has already been banned, but as long as the mindset does not change, girls will still be forced to undergo this barbarian practice. See Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_TMgAPNIGQ&t=15s
There is Hope
In the book FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION - Medizinische Beratung und Therapie Genitalverstümmelter Mädchen und Frauen by Uwe von Fritschen, Cornelia Strunz, Roland Scherer we are introduced to the possibilities of reconstructive surgery for genitally mutilated women. The Desert Flower Center at Waldfriede Hospital in Berlin, Germany, has treated many women. They are not only healed physically, but they also receive psychological counseling and group therapy.
The decision to seek help through reconstructive surgery is not easy. In the book, women tell about their struggles in facing the traditions of their closely-knit communities even in the European countries where they now live. Even here attitudes have to change. A new generation has to be born that is not subjected to this abusive practice and preserve the worth of a girl-child irrespective of traditional expectations. If we want to end FGM by 2030, things have to start changing NOW.
More Information from UN WOMEN
Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights, the health and integrity of girls and women.
Girls who undergo female genital mutilation face short-term complications such as severe pain, shock, excessive bleeding, infections, and difficulty in passing urine, as well as long-term consequences for their sexual and reproductive health and mental health.
Although primarily concentrated in 30 countries in Africa and the Middle East, female genital mutilation is a universal problem and is also practiced in some countries in Asia and Latin America. Female genital mutilation continues to persist amongst immigrant populations living in Western Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand.
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 from its consequences. www.un.org/en/observances/female-genital-mutilation-day
The girl in the photo by UNICEF Ethiopia is happy because her father has refused to let her be cut, although the grandmother wanted it to be done.