International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a practice involving the alteration or injury of female genitalia for non-medical reasons. This practice, mainly carried out in some communities in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, comes in various forms but is generally performed as a rite of initiation or a tradition considered vital for cultural identity, “purity,” or social control over women.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 230 million girls and women worldwide have undergone FGM in 30 countries where it is practiced. FGM has no health benefits and, in fact, poses numerous physical and psychological risks to affected women and girls. Regarding physical complications, we can distinguish, on one hand, the various immediate complications such as death, hemorrhage, shock, injury to neighboring organs, urine retention, infections, or severe pain. On the other hand, there are the long-term complications of types I and II, including failure to heal, abscess formation, dermoid cysts, keloids, stenosis of the artificial opening to the vagina, complications during labor and delivery, among others. On an emotional and psychological level, scientific research identifies that the consequences for women can be devastating: feelings of incompleteness, fear, inferiority, and suppression that influence the whole life of women, chronic irritability, nightmares, and a higher risk for psychiatric disorders such as depression, psychosis, neurosis, and psychosomatic diseases. Additionally, FGM can deprive women and girls of autonomy over their own bodies, violating their right to make decisions about their health and well-being.
From the perspective of cultural relativism, some argue that understanding these practices requires considering them within the cultural context of the communities that carry them out. However, this perspective raises a significant ethical dilemma: Is it right to allow a culturally significant practice to continue if it infringes on fundamental human rights, such as the right to bodily integrity and human dignity? In this regard, many defend that FGM is a clear violation of the human rights of girls and women.
In contrast to cultural relativism, international organizations such as the UN and WHO have strongly condemned FGM, regardless of its cultural context. In fact, the UN aims to end FGM by 2030 through coordinated and systematic efforts that involve all communities, focusing on human rights, gender equality, sexual education, and addressing the needs of women and girls who suffer from the consequences of these practices. These organizations argue that, regardless of local beliefs or customs, FGM should be considered a serious violation of human rights. Specifically, it is argued that FGM violates rights to health, safety, gender equality, and personal autonomy. The fight against FGM is a crucial step towards the eradication of gender-based violence and the promotion of women’s and girls’ rights worldwide.
Editor of Daily 27.
Predoctoral researcher at the Department of Sociology in University of Barcelona.