Female Genital Mutilation

Today, more than 200 million women and girls have undergone some form of female genital

mutilation (FGM), a figure which is both astounding and worrying. FGM is the partial or

total removal of external female genitalia or other injuries to the female genitalia for non-medical reasons. In countries across Africa and the Middle East, FGM is considered common practice, but to many young girls, it is mental and physical abuse.

There are several types of FGM. Type 1 involves the partial or total removal of the clitoris. Type 2 involves the partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia. Type 3, also known as

infibulation, is the narrowing of the vaginal opening sometimes though stitching which is then re-opened at marriage. Type 4 covers all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia e.g. pricking, piercing, scraping the genital area. But no matter the "type", the psychological torment is the same for all girls.

In an interview with the BBC, Hibo Wadere, a survivor of FGM said about the practice:

"It's not only that day, it stays with you for life, it's a life sentence". This has certainly proved true in the case of Leyla Hussein. Somalian psychotherapist and social activist Leyla was forced to undergo FGM at the mere age of 7. Like many young girls, she was not given a choice in the matter. Leyla only learned of her mother's plans when she was asked by her neighbour's daughter whether she was excited to be cut. Before she knew it, she was dragged into a room and pinned down onto a table, her legs spread apart. She was cut for her future husband, to ensure that she would not enjoy sex and thus not engage in it until

marriage. Her body was confined to performing only two functions, to produce babies and to please a man. Decades later, Leyla still cannot go through a vaginal examination without having a blackout which, she was told by a medical practitioner, is the result of her body having flashbacks of the physical and psychological trauma she endured following FGM when younger.

But why would a mother wish such horror upon her daughter?

In some cultures, FGM is considered a tradition. It is thought that a woman is only "clean" and beautiful after being removed of her certain body parts. However, once stripped of its cultural cloak, FGM can be seen for what it truly is, a gross violation of human rights. Its fundamental function is to control the sexual lives of young women and girls and exert male dominance. FGM is not only morally wrong, but it is also a violation of a person's right to respect for physical and mental integrity, the right to freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, and the right to life when it leads to death.

In an article for the BBC, Omnia Ibrahim, a blogger and filmmaker from Egypt, describes the psychological impact of FGM: "You are an ice cube. You don't feel; you don't love; you don't have desire" she says. FGM has been declared illegal in the UK, yet it is estimated that 137,000 women and girls in England have been victims of FGM and there has only been one conviction. According to human rights barrister Dr Charlotte Proudman, victims are becoming younger each year in an attempt to avoid detection. It is therefore clear that tougher measures need to be taken to combat FGM in the UK.

French human rights barrister Lina Weil-Curiel believes high-profile convictions are the best way to prevent FGM. In France, children undergo regular genital checks until the age of 6 to ensure that no form of FGM has taken place. Perhaps the UK government would not be willing to go this far, but one thing is certain, change will not be brought about until we stop

seeing FGM as a cultural practice and start referring to it as physical and mental abuse. This is not the time to worry about political correctness. People need to be educated on the dangers of FGM from school age to raise awareness of the phenomenon and to educate girls on their right to decide what happens to their bodies. Religious scriptures do not demand FGM, it is a human construct that must be wiped out.

Paedophilia would not be allowed as a "cultural tradition", why then is the genital mutilation of women and young girls still permitted under this label? These girls have no voice to stand up for themselves, therefore we must become their voice. International organizations such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations have launched a global strategy to end FGM. Join in the campaign to fight this injustice and save the lives of innocent women and young girls.