An estimated 130 million women have undergone female genital mutilation and millions more are at risk. The practice is carried out mainly for cultural and economic reasons.
FGM
Politics and Society Sierra Leone’s steps to end Female Genital Mutilation
United Nations Women reported that traditional cutters in Sierra Leone have pledged to abandon and advocate against FGM which is still not illegal in the country. This added support will contribute to the clampdown on initiation ceremonies by the secret societies that uphold the practice.
Politics and Society A film is helping Nigeria’s victims of FGM to speak up
This is Africa spoke to Ekene Odigwe, one of the makers of a film aimed at raising awareness of the fight against Female genital mutilation (FGM).
Politics and Society Nigeria, Kenya and Senegal: Three African countries providing solutions in fight against FGM
While Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has been declared illegal in some African countries, it still persists. Patrick Egwu in Nigeria, Annie Njanja in Kenya and Mamadou Lamine Ba in Senegal explored what was being done in their countries to stop this age-old discriminatory practice.
Politics and Society Dear clitoris: you’re gone and I’ll never see you again
‘Why did they cut you when you didn’t pose a threat to anyone? Why did they deny me sexual pleasure by getting rid of you?’
Politics and Society Ugandan woman becomes first person in the UK found guilty of Female Genital Mutilation
A 37-year-old Ugandan born woman has been convicted of mutilating her three-year-old daughter. She is the first person to be convicted, despite other female genital mutilation prosecutions having been brought to court in the UK. Those cases all ended in acquittals due to the lack of sufficient evidence.
Lifestyle New wave of female genital mutilation in Uganda targets married women
A study by the Reproductive, Educative and Community Health Programme (REACH) has shown that traditionalists in Uganda have now shifted to circumcising married women with the consent of their families, causing the prevalence of FGM to rise drastically in older women.
Politics and Society Somalia announces first prosecution for female genital mutilation
Justice for Deeqa: 10-year-old Deeqa Dahir Nuur died two days after a female genital mutilation procedure in central Somalia. Her death has prompted the first FGM prosecution in Somalia’s history
Lifestyle How practices, and meaning, of genital cutting are changing in Tanzania
Efforts to discourage girls from being cut in Tanzania have changed the cultural meaning and practices around the ceremonial rite of passage.