UN renews call to end female genital mutilation

UNITED NATIONS, New York, 5 February 2006 - UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, today renewed its call for intensified global efforts to save the 3 million girls who still face the risk of female genital mutilation or cutting every year.

In her appeal for the International Day Against Female Genital Mutilation, to be observed tomorrow, UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid pledged "to increase support for efforts to prevent female genital mutilation or cutting, and advance gender equality and human rights, including the right to sexual and reproductive health".

An estimated 120 to 140 million women have been subjected to the practice, which violates the basic rights of women and girls and seriously compromises their health. The practice leaves lasting physical and psychological scars, in addition to the risks it generates during childbirth.

In many countries where the practice is widespread, laws have been passed to make female genital mutilation/cutting illegal. In addition, an increasing number of people now disapprove of the practice-reflecting a rising awareness of its risks.

"Contrary to popular belief," said Ms. Obaid, "female genital mutilation or cutting is not required by any religion. In fact, many religious leaders and scholars and faith-based organizations from around the world have called for the practice to be banned."

At UNFPA, added Ms. Obaid, "we have learned that to make greater progress, laws need to be enforced, people need to be educated, and communities must be engaged. We are guided by the knowledge that social change cannot be imposed from the outside." She also noted that through interventions that foster dialogue, "an increasing number of communities have fully or partially abandoned the practice in favour of alternative initiation ceremonies, which is a positive trend."

Ms. Obaid warned, however, of new concerns arising from increased awareness of the health risks associated with the practice. They include "medicalization of the practice, as more and more parents try to minimize health hazards by turning to health-care providers to perform the cutting". She also warned of a trend "of subjecting younger and younger girls to the practice to avoid their complaints or refusal to participate".

UNFPA supports a number of initiatives to abolish female genital mutilation/cutting around the world. Among the most successful, such as those employed in Uganda and Kenya, provide alternative rites of passage that usher girls to adulthood without genital mutilation. The Fund also works with local and religious leaders who serve as agents of change within their communities. This approach has been effective in countries such as Burkina Faso, Egypt, Ethiopia and Senegal. UNFPA also works with human rights activists to enforce existing laws that ban the practice.