What is FGM?
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What exactly is female genital mutilation?
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a practice in which the female genital organs are intentionally altered or injured for non-medical reasons. Predominantly carried out on young girls, the practice has cultural, religious, and social implications, and has a lifelong impact on the health and wellbeing of millions of women and girls worldwide.
UNICEF estimates that around 230 million women and girls have undergone female genital mutilation.
It’s deeply embedded within various cultures and societies across the world, but is most common in Africa.
FGM is also referred to as female circumcision or cutting, and by other terms, such as Sunna, gudniin, halalays, tahur, megrez and khitan, among others.
The procedure is often carried out by people with no medical experience, known as the ‘cutter’, using unsafe equipment, such as knives, razors, glass and sharpened stones. The equipment is often used on multiple people, and is not clean or sterile.
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