FGM stands for Female Genital Mutilation. No, it is not circumcision nor surgery. It is the permanent, needless, and traumatic changing of the female body, specifically the genitals.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines FGM as ‘all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons’ (1).
FGM is classified into 4 major types:
· Type 1 — Clitoridectomy: Partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or prepuce.
· Type 2 — Excision: Partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora.
· Type 3 — Infibulation: Narrowing of the vaginal opening through the creation of a covering seal. The seal is formed by cutting and repositioning the labia minora, or labia majora, sometimes through stitching, with or without removal of the clitoris.
· Type 4 — All other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, e.g. pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterising the genital area.
According to a recent UNICEF publication (2), at least 200 million girls and women have experienced FGM in 30 countries across three continents. Of these 200 million, more than half live in just three countries: Indonesia, Egypt and Ethiopia. 44 million are girls below the age of 15. The practice is most common in the western, eastern, and north-eastern regions of Africa, in some countries in the Middle East and Asia, as well as among migrants from these areas. FGM is therefore a global concern.
FGM has no known health benefits. It harms women’s physical and emotional health throughout their lives (3,4). It involves removing and damaging healthy and normal female genital tissue, and interferes with the natural functions of the female body. Risks increase with increasing severity of the procedure.
Within the cultures that practice FGM, there are various beliefs as to why it is done. These include spectrum factors within communities and families; the general theme being that it is a rite of passage for the girl to become a woman and eligible therefore for marriage. It is also used as a means to control a girl’s sexuality pre-marriage to ensure virginity, and during marriage to ensure loyalty. The reasons given for practicing FGM fall generally into five categories (5):
Psychosexual reasons: FGM is carried out as a way to control women’s sexuality, which is sometimes said to be insatiable if parts of the genitalia, especially the clitoris, are not removed. It is thought to ensure virginity before marriage and fidelity afterward, and to increase male sexual pleasure.
Sociological and cultural reasons: FGM is seen as part of a girl’s initiation into womanhood and as an intrinsic part of a community’s cultural heritage. Sometimes myths about female genitalia (e.g., that an uncut clitoris will grow to the size of a penis, or that FGM will enhance fertility or promote child survival) perpetuate the practice.
Hygiene and aesthetic reasons: In some communities, the external female genitalia are considered dirty and ugly and are removed, ostensibly to promote hygiene and aesthetic appeal.
Religious reasons: Although FGM is not sanctioned by either Islam or by Christianity, supposed religious doctrine is often used to justify the practice.
Socio-economic factors: In many communities, FGM is a prerequisite for marriage. Where women are largely dependent on men, economic necessity can be a major driver of the procedure. FGM sometimes is a prerequisite for the right to inherit. It may also be a major income source for practitioners.
FGM is a violation of the female’s human rights. The severe health issues caused by FGM contravene the universal right to health, and also violate human rights on the principles of inequality and discrimination on the basis of sex and as such impacts, increases and perpetuates inequality. FGM is also viewed as a way of forcibly controlling women’s sexuality and attempting to ensure a woman will be faithful to her partner. It is a horrendous and traumatic practice that needs to end.
References
(1) Female Genital Mutilation. Geneva: World Health Organisation; February 2016. Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/
(2) UNICEF. Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Global concern. UNICEF; 2016. Available from: http://www.unicef.org/media/files/FGMC_2016_brochure_final_UNICEF_SPREAD.pdf
(3) Berg R, Underland V, Odgaard-Jensen J, Fretheim A, Vist G. Effects of female genital cutting on physical health outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open. 2014;4(11):e006316-e006316.
(4) Reisel D, Creighton S. Long term health consequences of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Maturitas. 2015;80(1):48–51.
(5) Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Frequently Asked Questions. UNPFA; December 2015. Available from: http://www.unfpa.org/resources/female-genital-mutilation-fgm-frequently-asked-questions#types_fgm
Featured image: Infographics. Orchid Project. 2016. Orchidproject.org.
