FGM - FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
This blog is to inform you on the practice of Female Genital Mutilation as it is as much of an issue in today’s global society as it is in African and Middle Eastern countries, where it is mainly concentrated. FGM is a global health and development issue, a reality for millions of girls and women, and a dangerous practice. FGM is a global epidemic of immense proportions; 3 million mutilations are estimated to be carried out every year (Burrage, 2015).
This blog is to inform you on the practice of Female Genital Mutilation as it is as much of an issue in today’s global society as it is in African and Middle Eastern countries, where it is mainly concentrated. FGM is a global health and development issue, a reality for millions of girls and women, and a dangerous practice. FGM is a global epidemic of immense proportions; 3 million mutilations are estimated to be carried out every year (Burrage, 2015).
Female genital mutilation (FGM) also known as female
genital cutting, is the procedure of female genital alteration/circumcision for
non-medical reasons. FGM
encompasses all procedures that involve partial or complete removal of
the external female genitalia.
FGM is usually carried out on girls between infancy and age
15 – most common on the onset of puberty.
It goes against the Human Rights Act 1998, according
to the WHO (2016) -
‘the practice violates a person's rights to health, security and physical
integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment, and the right to life when the procedure results in death’.
Female genital mutilation has been reported to happen in
all parts of the world, but it is most predominant in: the western, eastern,
and north-eastern regions of Africa, some countries in Asia and the Middle East
and amongst particular immigrant communities in America and Europe. Although the prevention of FGM is what we want, however
female genital mutilation is both complex and complicated. Burrage (2015) says that it involves ‘deeply rooted
beliefs, real and firm social and economic forces, human agency of a
particularly intimate nature, brutality and secrecy’. Therefore making it a complex topic, especially where culture is involved.
It is a violation of the human rights of female infants, young girls, and adult women and it is an illegal practice in the UK, in some African regions and in America, however it still occurs.
It is a violation of the human rights of female infants, young girls, and adult women and it is an illegal practice in the UK, in some African regions and in America, however it still occurs.
It is a practice
which has major physical and psychological health implications for girls and
women. The health risks increase with the severity of the procedure and there are
4 types of FGM procedures - each as dangerous as the other.
Women and girls living with FGM have experienced a traumatising
and dangerous practice. The experience of FGM increases the short and long term
health risks to women and girls and is unacceptable from a health perspective. There
are both short term and long term risks of FGM and these can occur at any time
during one’s lifetime. There is no positive impact of the practice, only
negative impacts, to name a few; severe bleeding, shock, psychological damage,
complications at childbirth, more risk to infections and urination problems,
amongst many others. For developing countries, in which there are already so
many risks due to global health concerns; poor sanitation, gender inequalities,
access to medicines, access to education – all of which are important and vital
in terms of development – FGM promotes gender inequality, and due to the lack
of access to medicines, in rural areas, it is even more dangerous and unsafe,
and often unsanitary.
The WHO
(2016) view FGM as a manifestation of gender inequality that is deeply enriched
in cultural and social structures. The WHO have said that FGM represents society’s
control over women like ‘the now abandoned foot-binding in China and the
practice of dowry and child marriage’. Developments such as education must be
made in order to help eradicate this ‘backwards’ practice. The young girls in
the communities, the elders, the women are all mis-educated about FGM, not
understanding fully the risks and dangers that come with FGM. Polly Riggs of ‘The Debrief’, a news website, showed
her disgust over an Egyptian politicians’ comment; ‘saying that women should have
FGM to “reduce their sexual appetite, because the men of Egypt can’t satisfy
them”, and then carried on to say, ‘If we stop FGM, we will need strong men and
we don’t have men of that sort’. This further shows the gender inequality in terms of FGM,
because it is a careless statement and it shows that even politicians are
not fully educated in the risks of FGM and should not think so carelessly about topics which ruin women's and girls' lives. In
order to develop as a Country which promotes global health and equality,
developments in education are a must for both genders.
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In terms of education, organisations such as the World Health Organisation have an abundance of information on FGM, what it is and the implications of it. Action Aid has a donation scheme to help stop FGM, however it is subject to Kenya only (https://www.actionaid.org.uk/donate/help-us-protect-girls-from-fgm?src=ppc&gclid=CL3nu8zEs9ECFcYp0wodNyIHHg&gclsrc=aw.ds ).
Nursery resources have a guide on FGM which they sell on their website, to educate about the topic. (https://www.nurseryresources.org/products/eyfshandbooks-guidance/Statutory-Guidance-on-Female-Genital-Mutilation)
‘Equality
Now’ are an organisation which promotes equality for women and girls, and
through their website they offer you the opportunity to help the cause, by
donating or simply just by signing up to the cause.
