Generations of change: challenging attitudes to FGM in Mali

In one village in Mali, ideas surrounding female genital mutilation are changing — and it’s mothers and grandmothers who are ending the silence surrounding the practice.

“A girl who hasn’t been cut won’t get a husband. That’s what people used to say here,” explains Fatoumata, 55.

In her village in Mali, a girl undergoing FGM used to be a cause for celebration. But in recent years, she’s seen that tradition change — and become even more shrouded in secrecy as a result.

Fatoumata, right, with her daughter Sanaba and grand-daughter Aissatou.

“In the old days, genital cutting was an initiation rite for girls, to prepare them for their future. The whole community would participate,” she says.

“But nowadays it’s become more controversial and usually takes place discreetly at home. The girls who are cut are getting younger and younger.

“This is because the younger a girl is, the less likely she’ll be to discuss it with her friends.”

Three million girls at risk every year

Female genital mutilation — FGM — involves partially removing the external genitalia of girls and young women, for non-medical reasons.

It has no health benefits and, as recognised by the UN, constitutes a violation of girls’ human rights, one that enforces gender inequality.

In communities where it takes place, FGM is often seen as a preparation for marriage, and is closely linked to concepts of purity and cleanliness — a girl who has not experienced FGM may be seen as promiscuous.

Left: Nega, 48, is the village Imam. His daughter died after undergoing FGM, and he is now a supporter of Plan International’s work in the community. Right: Djaminatou with her grandmother, Aminata. Djaminatou became an educator after the project to end FGM started in the village. “Grandmothers must be involved, because they are the ones who accompany their granddaughters during the cutting process,” she says.

Worldwide, three million girls are at risk of FGM every year, and 200 million girls and women are living with its consequences.

In Mali, which has one of the highest rates of FGM in the world, an average of 746 girls experience the practice every day and 89% of girls have undergone FGM, often before they were five years old.

But in families like Fatoumata’s there are signs of change. Her daughter Sanaba, 24, was one of the last girls in their family to experience FGM.

“It’s something I decided myself, without involving my husband,” says Fatoumata, as she explains that it’s been 12 years since a girl in their family underwent the practice.

She also believes Sanaba’s only daughter Aissatou, who is 3, should not have to undergo FGM.

“As far as I am concerned, Aissatou will not be cut,” she says.

Consequences that last a lifetime

As a practice, FGM is both psychologically and physically traumatic.

In some cases, it can even cause death — from haemorrhaging during or immediately after the procedure, or due to tetanus or other infections in the weeks that follow.

Sometimes FGM takes place in health facilities, but it may also be carried out in non-sterile settings by untrained women. Here, implements such as scissors, razor blades and even broken glass may be used, which can lead to painful infections.

In either setting, if a girl survives FGM she can face long-term consequences, from infertility to an increased chance of complications during childbirth, ongoing susceptibility to infections and psychological problems.

As a health advisor, Adama provides advice and support to the community. “I hear all sorts of stories from the villagers here and, believe me, there is considerable unseen suffering,” he says. “As you can imagine, I think cutting should be stopped.”

When Sanaba looks back at her own experience, she’s amazed she hasn’t faced more difficulties herself.

“I was 10 when I was cut and I suffered terribly,” she remembers. “I was one of a group of girls to be cut and afterwards, we were all kept together in a house for a month.

“Everything went wrong. Some suffered local inflammation, others were left with serious scars. One girl even died, but I don’t remember much about that anymore. It just wasn’t talked about.”

Ending the silence surrounding FGM

Because FGM is a traditional practice, one that has become ingrained in communities over generations, challenging the practice and overcoming the silence that surrounds it is far from easy.

Equally difficult is gaining access to information about FGM and the impact it can have on girls’ lives — something Plan International is helping to provide in Fatoumata, Sanaba and Aissatou’s village, through awareness-raising sessions.

Conversations around FGM are happening in other families in the village too. “I only have one daughter and I don’t want to take any chances,” explains Korotoumou, 30, who is mum to four-year-old M’Pène. Her mother-in-law Rokia also supports an end to FGM. “It is a centuries-old tradition, but I would have no problems if the practice were to be stopped,” she says.

Today, Sanaba is committed to talking to her friends about FGM, as they make similar decisions about their daughters’ futures — and hopes that by the time she becomes a grandmother herself, the practice will have ended altogether.

She also knows the vital role she can play in helping younger women in the community, and anticipates that education will inspire even greater change for her daughter’s generation.

“Many girls of 14 or 15 are determined that when the time comes, their daughters will not be cut,” she says. “I think women of my age should support them.”

Every day, Plan International UK stands with brave girls and women around the world, as they challenge gender inequality and campaign against harmful practices like child marriage and FGM, enabling girls everywhere to build a better future. Stand with us. Join the Because I am a Girl campaign >