06. February 2007
International Day against Female Genital Mutilation
Every year 3 million girls are mutilated. FGM harms human rights. A press releace from our partner organisation DSW.
Hannover, February 5th 2007
Between 100 and 140 Million girls and women are affected by female genital mutilation.
“It is a scandal that there are still so many girls circumcised and have to suffer this cruel ‘tradition’. Every year 3 million girls get mutilated”, says Pamela Foster, chief of the development program of the German Foundation for World Population – DSW.
“This is a severe violation of the human rights. It is high time that the governments take action against this dishonourable practice and elaborate adequate draft laws”, claims Foster.
Unimaginable pain
FGM means excise either parts of or the whole clitoris. In some cases the vagina is even stitched up and only a little hole stays. In most cases, the ‘operation’ is done by laypersons, without anaesthesia and with primitive devices like knifes, pieces of broken glass or razor blades. “The girls suffer unimaginable pain”, tells Foster.
The thousands of year old tradition is very common in parts of Asia, the Middle East and in many African countries. In Egypt for example 97 percent of girls and women are circumcised, in Guinea 99 percent.
Female Genital Mutilation increases maternal death rates
The physical and mental consequences are devastating. Besides the lifelong trauma, many women suffer from infections, internal bleedings, complications while giving birth, affections which can even lead to death.
“Every second childbirth in the so called developing countries takes place without any medical support. There is no doctor in case of emergency who could take life saving actions”, says Foster.
To download a diagram on FGM, please click here.
To read the statement of Thoraya Obaid, executive director of the UNFPA, please follow this link.
UNFPA warns on new trades in FGM: www.unfpa.org/news/news.cfm?ID=929
Source: German Foundation for World Population – DSW