Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
Policy | Resources | What's New | Research | Articles
Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), also called female circumcision, is a traditional cultural practice that can range from cutting to total removal of the external female genitalia. Millions of girls and women have undergone FGM/C for reasons including beliefs about health and hygiene, beliefs about women's sexuality, and adulthood and community initiation rites. FGM/C causes serious pain, trauma, and frequently, severe physical complications such as bleeding, infections, or even death. Long-term complications can bring recurrent infections, infertility, and obstructed labor. Because of this connection to reproductive health, USAID's Office of Population and Reproductive Health incorporated eradication of the practice into its development agenda and in September 2000 announced a policy recognizing FGM/C as a harmful practice "that violates the health and human rights of women and hinders development."
Policy
Resources
What's New
- International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation - 02/06/12
This February 6th marks the tenth year of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). FGM is considered to be a violation of the human rights of girls and women, but is still bring performed in developing countries around the world. This day is observed to raise awareness about this harmful practice.
- The Role of Policymakers in Ending Female Genital Mutilation: An African Perspective - April 2010
The Honorable Amina Salum Ali is the Permanent Representative of the African Union to the United States. As the African Union's first woman ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Ali is committed to promoting women's and children's rights. In agreeing to author this PRB occasional paper on female genital mutilation, she said "this is a topic which is close to my heart." She has vowed to work for an end to this practice through laws and education.
- Platform for Action Towards the Abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C): A Matter of Gender Equality [PDF, 326KB]
The Donors Working Group on FGM/C has, since 2001, brought together key governmental and intergovernmental organizations and foundations committed to supporting the abandonment of FGM/C. This publication summarizes their consensus on a common programmatic approach to support the abandonment of the practice and make a major difference for girls and women worldwide.
- Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Day: PRB Interviews the Experts – 02/04/09
PRB marks Zero Tolerance to FGM/C Day by interviewing two experts. Berhane Ras-Work is the founding president of the Inter-African Committee (IAC), a nongovernmental organization that promotes the health of women and children in Africa by fighting traditional practices that are harmful to the health of women, and Molly Melching is the founder and executive director of Tostan, an organization dedicated to empowering women, adolescent girls, and their communities. Check out their interviews to hear their thoughts on the risks of FGM/C and the significance of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM/C.
- Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting eLearning Course
Take the new FGM/C eLearning course on USAID's Global Health eLearning Center. Register online at www.globalhealthlearning.org (one-time registration is quick and easy and gives you free access to all the Global Health eLearning courses) and take the FGM/C course to learn how USAID supports the international effort to bring about the abandonment of this harmful traditional practice.
- Female Genital Mutliation/Cutting: Data and Trends - 09/16/08 [PDF, 412KB]
Female genital mutilation poses serious physical and mental health risks for women and young girls. According to this new Population Reference Bureau data sheet, an estimated 100 million to 140 million girls and women worldwide have undergone FGM/C.
- 10 Lessons to Bring About Change in the Practice of FGM/C - 02/12/08
On the USAID-funded INFO Project blog, watch a video and read 10 lessons that have been learned to successfully bring about change in the practice of FGM/C. This particular blog post discusses a presentation that took place at a symposium marking the 5th International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM/C on February 6, 2008.
- Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation: An Interagency Statement - 03/11/2008 [PDF, 3.4MB]
This Interagency Statement, written and signed by a group of United Nations agencies, supports advocacy for the abandonment of FGM/C. It is based on new evidence and lessons learned over the past decade.
Research
- Abandoning Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: An In-Depth Look at Promising Practices - December 2006 [PDF, 1.6MB]
Funded by USAID, this collaborative work on FGM/C attempts to answer the number-one need identified by development experts surveyed on FGM/C: more information on evaluated case studies that illustrate what is working and why.
- Addressing FGM/C Among the Somali Community Living in Kenya
- 09/11/07 [PDF, 316KB]
Dr. Ian Askew, Director of FRONTIERS, gave a presentation on the FGM/C situation among the Somali ethnic population living in Kenya’s North Eastern Province. The Population Council’s FRONTIERS program, which is funded by USAID, has undertaken two interrelated activities among the Somali in Kenya. Working with the Ministry of Health, FRONTIERS has developed and implemented a training program for health providers who provide antenatal and delivery care to infibulated women to better manage medical and other complications they encounter. In collaboration with UNICEF, FRONTIERS has also initiated a dialogue with religious leaders to question the validity of the religious values commonly used to justify sustaining the practice. In his presentation, Dr. Askew presented experiences with both activities and discussed the lessons learned from addressing this traditional practice from different perspectives.
- CD-ROMs on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
- Ending Violence Against Women and Girls – Protecting Human Rights: Good Practices for Development Cooperation - 2005
This report emphasizes that in order to prevent gender-based violence, it is essential to address gender stereotypes and the relationship between the two sexes. Therefore, working with men and boys is equally important as supporting women and girls.
- Study Shows Female Genital Mutilation Exposes Women and Babies to Significant Risk at Childbirth - 06/02/2006
A study published by the World Health Organization (WHO) has shown that women who have undergone female genital mutilation are significantly more likely to experience difficulties during childbirth and that their babies are more likely to die as a result of the practice.
- Changing a Harmful Social Convention: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting - 2005 [PDF, 703KB]
UNICEF's Innocenti Digest examines the prevalence of FGM/C and its social dynamics. Hard copies can be ordered free in Arabic, English, French, and Spanish from the UNICEF Web site
- Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Statistical Exploration - 11/10/2005 [PDF, 1.3MB]
This publication analyzes available statistics on FGM/C with the aim of improving understanding of related issues in the wider context of gender equality and social change.
Articles
- “An End to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting?” - 01/04/08
This TIME Magazine article explores the status of FGM/C in Middle East countries while focusing on the work of one Kurdish woman, Pakhshan Zangana, who presented a bill to the Iraqi Kurdish Parliament criminalizing FGM/C.
- Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, the Taboo Subject - 06/12/06
This article, which appears in the June 12–14, 2006 edition of the Yemen Times, focuses on the practice of FGM/C in Yemen.
- Reaching the Tipping Point Against Female Genital Mutilation - 7/30/05 [PDF, 150KB]
Written by Layla M. Shaaban and Sarah Harbison, both with USAID, this article appeared in the July 30, 2005, edition of The Lancet.
- Methodological Issues in Measuring the Impact of Interventions Against Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting - October 2005 [PDF, 207KB]
An article by Dr. Ian Askew of FRONTIERS appears in the journal Culture, Health & Sexuality. FRONTIERS is funded by USAID and implemented by the Population Council in partnership with Family Health International.
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