Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

"FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. It reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes, and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women. The practice violates a person's rights to health, security and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and the right to life when the procedure results in death." --World Health Organization

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a harmful traditional practice that involves the partial or total removal of the female genitalia. It is estimated that between 100 and 140 million girls and women around the world have undergone genital mutilation. FGM ranges from the partial or total removal of the clitoris (clitoridectomy), to the removal of the entire clitoris and the cutting of the labia minora (excision), to its most extreme form, the removal of all external genitalia and the stitching together of the two sides of the vulva (infibulation).

FGM is generally done without anaesthetic, and can have lifelong health consequences including chronic infection, severe pain during urination, menstruation, sexual intercourse, and childbirth, and psychological trauma. No one knows how many girls die from FGM.

Grassroots organizations in FGM practicing countries are working hard within their communities to eradicate this practice. Equality Now supports the work of grassroots groups to end FGM and in particular focuses on the enactment and effective implementation of legislation against FGM in relevant countries.

• The Fund for Grassroots Activism to End FGM
• Africa Rising, a documentary film produced by Equality Now about the grassroots movement to end FGM
  
• Campaign calling on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to revoke its 2010 policy statement on female genital mutilation

For information about past and completed campaigns in this program area, please see the actions archive.

Resources: For additional resources on FGM, please click here.