Saying "NO" to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

What Is FGM?

Female Genital Mutilation is a very common topic in many parts of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. FGM, also known as Female Genital Cutting, is the cutting either some parts or all of the external woman’s genital. In many parts of the world, FGM is practiced deliberately on young girls in their teenage or when they are born before they reach their puberty. It is the most harmful and painful process, yet many countries still practice it.

Types Of FGM:

There are four major types of FGM’s; type one is called ‘Clitoridectomy’ which is when the women remove part or all of its clitoris. ‘Excision’ is the second type of FGM where females remove partial or all parts of their clitoris and labia. ‘Infibulation’ is the type three FGM where everything is removed in the vaginal area, and the edges are stitched together just leaving a small hole for the passing of urine or mensuration. However, the most harmful of all is the fourth type of FGM which comes under the category of ‘unclassified,’ and it includes cutting, pricking, scraping, or burning the area. (nhs.uk, n.d.).

Negative Impacts Of FGM On Women:

FGM can be very damaging to the females’ body in numerous ways. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it can have both the short term and the long term consequences on the health of a woman. In the short run, they are going to have complications such as severe pain, excessive bleeding, shock, genital tissue swelling, infections, HIV, urination problems, impaired wound healing, death, and psychological consequences. However, because of type one, two and three FGM women can have pain, infections, painful urination, menstrual problems, keloids, HIV, female sexual health issues, obstetric complications, obstetric fistula, perinatal risks and psychological consequences in the long run. (World Health Organization, n.d.).

FGM In Tanzania:

In 2015, Plan International Tanzania along with European Union started a project to end FGM in many parts of Tanzania. The Plan International Tanzania Project Manager, Ms. Emma Mashobe shared that “We work with communities especially leaders; parents and girls to raise awareness on FGM to help encourage them abandon FGM. However, we need to work with larger numbers to support more women and girls who have undergone FGM to overcome the trauma they went through and encourage them to speak out to make their voices heard, empowering other girls in Tanzania and call out to put an end to FGM”. Moreover, in 2018, they made an initiative that there will be zero tolerance to FGM and forecasted to end FGM by the year 2030. (Delegation of the European Union to Tanzania, 2018)

What Can We Do To End FGM?

Being the youth of today, what can be done by us to end such type of gender equality? Although FGM does not occur in modern parts of the world, it is still the major concern of many people. Education is the first and most important factor which can end the process of FGM in the world. However, in today’s technological world social media such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. are the biggest platforms where any individual and also the females suffering from FGM can raise their voices and share their experiences. Also, carrying out various awareness campaigns on FGM issues and donating to the organizations fighting for these causes can be another meaningful contribution to the society to end this norm in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

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REFERENCES:

Delegation of the European Union to Tanzania (2018). Working to End FGM and Cutting in Tanzania. [online] EEAS - European External Action Service - European Commission. Available at: https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/tanzania/39410/working-end-fgm-and-cutting-tanzania_en [Accessed 15 Jul. 2019].

End FGM. (2015). What is FGM. [online] Available at: https://www.endfgm.eu/female-genital-mutilation/what-is-fgm/ [Accessed 15 Jul. 2019].

Lamilli (2007). Types of FGM. [image] Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fgm_Type.jpg [Accessed 15 Jul. 2019].

nhs.uk. (n.d.). Female genital mutilation (FGM). [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/female-genital-mutilation-fgm/ [Accessed 15 Jul. 2019].

World Health Organization. (n.d.). Health risks of female genital mutilation (FGM). [online] Available at: https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/fgm/health_consequences_fgm/en/ [Accessed 15 Jul. 2019].