How to stop FGM: A lesson from Senegal
At least 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), or ‘cutting’.
It is most prevalent in countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. But it also happens in Europe, the United States and Latin America.
It is a practice carried out by members of different religions and cultures. But people are fighting back against it.
In Senegal, rappers, activists and members of the communities where it happens are uniting to stop the cutting.
What is FGM?
FGM, or cutting, as it is also known, is the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia.
The procedure has no health benefits, but can cause great harm and serious health complications for those who undergo the procedure. Besides causing severe pain, the practice has immediate and long-term consequences for the health of women and girls, including complications during childbirth, which could endanger the lives of both mother and child.
In Senegal, rappers, activists, and members of the communities where it happens are uniting to stop the cut.
