Female genital mutilation
fact sheet
Female genital mutilation is
recognized internationally as a
violation of the human rights of
girls and women.
Key facts
`` Female genital mutilation (FGM) includes procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to
the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
`` The procedure has no health benefits for girls and women.
`` Procedures can cause severe bleeding and problems urinating, and later cysts, infections,
infertility as well as complications in childbirth and increased risk of newborn deaths.
`` More than 125 million girls and women alive today have been cut in the 29 countries in Africa
and Middle East where FGM is concentrated (1).
`` FGM is mostly carried out on young girls sometime between infancy and age 15.
`` FGM is a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all Procedures
procedures that involve partial or total removal of the
Female genital mutilation is classified into four major
external female genitalia, or other injury to the female
types.
genital organs for non-medical reasons.
1. Clitoridectomy: partial or total removal of the
The practice is mostly carried out by traditional clitoris (a small, sensitive and erectile part of the
circumcisers, who often play other central roles in female genitals) and, in very rare cases, only the
communities, such as attending childbirths. However, prepuce (the fold of skin surrounding the clitoris).
more than 18% of all FGM is performed by health care
2. Excision: partial or total removal of the clitoris and
providers, and the trend towards medicalization is
the labia minora, with or without excision of the
increasing.
labia majora (the labia are “the lips” that surround
FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the the vagina).
human rights of girls and women. It reflects deep-
3. Infibulation: narrowing of the vaginal opening
rooted inequality between the sexes, and constitutes
through the creation of a covering seal. The seal is
an extreme form of discrimination against women. It is
formed by cutting and repositioning the inner, or
nearly always carried out on minors and is a violation
outer, labia, with or without removal of the clitoris.
of the rights of children. The practice also violates
a person’s rights to health, security and physical 4. Other: all other harmful procedures to the female
integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, genitalia for non-medical purposes, e.g. pricking,
inhuman or degrading treatment, and the right to life piercing, incising, scraping and cauterizing the
when the procedure results in death. genital area.
No health benefits, only harm Cultural, religious and social causes
FGM has no health benefits, and it harms girls and The causes of female genital mutilation include a mix
women in many ways. It involves removing and of cultural, religious and social factors within families
damaging healthy and normal female genital tissue, and communities.
and interferes with the natural functions of girls’ and •• Where FGM is a social convention, the social
women’s bodies. pressure to conform to what others do and have
Immediate complications can include severe pain, been doing is a strong motivation to perpetuate
shock, haemorrhage (bleeding), tetanus or sepsis the practice.
(bacterial infection), urine retention, open sores in the •• FGM is often considered a necessary part of
genital region and injury to nearby genital tissue. raising a girl properly, and a way to prepare her for
Long-term consequences can include: adulthood and marriage.
•• recurrent bladder and urinary tract infections; •• FGM is often motivated by beliefs about what
is considered proper sexual behaviour, linking
•• cysts;
procedures to premarital virginity and marital
•• infertility; fidelity. FGM is in many communities believed to
•• an increased risk of childbirth complications and reduce a woman’s libido and therefore believed to
newborn deaths; help her resist “illicit” sexual acts. When a vaginal
opening is covered or narrowed (type 3 above), the
•• the need for later surgeries. For example, the FGM
fear of the pain of opening it, and the fear that this
procedure that seals or narrows a vaginal opening
will be found out, is expected to further discourage
(type 3 above) needs to be cut open later to allow
“illicit” sexual intercourse among women with this
for sexual intercourse and childbirth. Sometimes
type of FGM.
it is stitched again several times, including after
childbirth, hence the woman goes through •• FGM is associated with cultural ideals of femininity
repeated opening and closing procedures, further and modesty, which include the notion that girls
increasing and repeated both immediate and long- are “clean” and “beautiful” after removal of body
term risks. parts that are considered “male” or “unclean”.
•• Though no religious scripts prescribe the practice,
practitioners often believe the practice has
Who is at risk?
religious support.
Procedures are mostly carried out on young girls
sometime between infancy and age 15, and •• Religious leaders take varying positions with
occasionally on adult women. In Africa, more than regard to FGM: some promote it, some consider it
three million girls have been estimated to be at risk for irrelevant to religion, and others contribute to its
FGM annually. elimination.
More than 125 million girls and women alive today •• Local structures of power and authority, such as
have been cut in the 29 countries in Africa and Middle community leaders, religious leaders, circumcisers,
East where FGM is concentrated.1 and even some medical personnel can contribute
to upholding the practice.
The practice is most common in the western, eastern,
and north-eastern regions of Africa, in some countries •• In most societies, FGM is considered a cultural
in Asia and the Middle East, and among migrants from tradition, which is often used as an argument for its
these areas. continuation.
•• In some societies, recent adoption of the practice
is linked to copying the traditions of neighbouring
groups. Sometimes it has started as part of a wider
religious or traditional revival movement.
•• In some societies, FGM is practised by new groups
when they move into areas where the local
population practice FGM.
International response Research shows that, if practicing communities
themselves decide to abandon FGM, the practice can
In December 2012, the UN General Assembly adopted
be eliminated very rapidly.
a resolution on the elimination of female genital
mutilation.
In 2010, WHO published a “Global strategy to stop
WHO response
health care providers from performing female genital In 2008, the World Health Assembly passed a
mutilation” in collaboration with other key UN resolution (WHA61.16) on the elimination of FGM,
agencies and international organizations. emphasizing the need for concerted action in all
sectors - health, education, finance, justice and
In 2008, WHO together with 9 other United Nations women’s affairs.
partners, issued a new statement on the elimination
of FGM to support increased advocacy for the WHO efforts to eliminate female genital mutilation
abandonment of FGM. The 2008 statement provides focus on:
evidence collected over the past decade about the •• strengthening the health sector response:
practice. It highlights the increased recognition of the guidelines, training and policy to ensure that
human rights and legal dimensions of the problem health professionals can provide medical care and
and provides data on the frequency and scope of counselling to girls and women living with FGM;
FGM. It also summarizes research about on why FGM
•• building evidence: generating knowledge about
continues, how to stop it, and its damaging effects on
the causes and consequences of the practice, how
the health of women, girls and newborn babies.
to eliminate it, and how to care for those who have
The new statement builds on the original from 1997 experienced FGM;
that WHO issued together with the United Nations
•• increasing advocacy: developing publications and
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations
advocacy tools for international, regional and local
Population Fund (UNFPA).
efforts to end FGM within a generation.
Since 1997, great efforts have been made to
WHO is particularly concerned about the increasing
counteract FGM, through research, work within
trend for medically trained personnel to perform
communities, and changes in public policy. Progress at
FGM. WHO strongly urges health professionals not to
both international and local levels includes:
perform such procedures.
•• wider international involvement to stop FGM;
•• international monitoring bodies and resolutions
1
that condemn the practice; UNICEF. Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: a statistical
overview and exploration of the dynamics of change, 2013.
•• revised legal frameworks and growing political
support to end FGM (this includes a law against
FGM in 24 African countries, and in several states
in two other countries, as well as 12 industrialized
countries with migrant populations from FGM
practicing countries);
•• in most countries, the prevalence of FGM has
decreased, and an increasing number of women
and men in practising communities support
ending its practice.
For more information, please contact:
Department of Reproductive Health and Research
World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland
E-mail: reproductivehealth@[Link]
[Link]/reproductivehealth
Photo: UNICEF/Holt
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