Female Genital Mutilation
The Violation of Human Rights and Torture of Women Worldwide
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a cultural practice that has been happening for centuries in all different cultures of all different countries. It is the extremely painful, non-therapeutic partial or complete removal and reshaping of some or all of the external female genitalia. Hundreds of millions of women and young girls all over the world have undergone some form of genital mutilation or cutting. It has severe consequences for a woman's overall health, even with the possibility of death.
Unfortunately, FGM is considered in most cultures as a rite of passage that girls must go through in order to be deemed marriageable. If not, they face humiliation and exile from their community. The practice of FGM is encouraged by other women in these cultures that have undergone it themselves, and are most often the ones that perform it on their daughters and granddaughters. The practice of FGM continues to occur everyday all over the world by people who believe that it is vitally important to their child's future.
Although FGM has been around for centuries, it only recently came into the spotlight and has been completely outlawed in a few countries. International Organizations and activists are doing their best to educate everyone on this issue and the severely traumatic and deadly aspects of this practice with the goal of eradicating it entirely, but they face resistance by the communities that see FGM not as a Human Rights violation against women, but a cultural practice that has a great social and economic status amongst their people. It is very difficult to impose different beliefs on other socities, and this holds true for people of all socioeconimc statuses in all countries, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, and education. This is the biggest roadblock between ending this ongoing torture of young girls and women, who have no choice in what will happen to their body and what will be the long term effects of what has been done to them.
This website will provide you with information of Female Genital Mutilation, the different types, where it occurs around the world, the history of it, the health risks and emotional damages caused by it, the sociological aspect of the practice, and information and links that will lead you to helping to make a difference for these women.
Unfortunately, FGM is considered in most cultures as a rite of passage that girls must go through in order to be deemed marriageable. If not, they face humiliation and exile from their community. The practice of FGM is encouraged by other women in these cultures that have undergone it themselves, and are most often the ones that perform it on their daughters and granddaughters. The practice of FGM continues to occur everyday all over the world by people who believe that it is vitally important to their child's future.
Although FGM has been around for centuries, it only recently came into the spotlight and has been completely outlawed in a few countries. International Organizations and activists are doing their best to educate everyone on this issue and the severely traumatic and deadly aspects of this practice with the goal of eradicating it entirely, but they face resistance by the communities that see FGM not as a Human Rights violation against women, but a cultural practice that has a great social and economic status amongst their people. It is very difficult to impose different beliefs on other socities, and this holds true for people of all socioeconimc statuses in all countries, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, and education. This is the biggest roadblock between ending this ongoing torture of young girls and women, who have no choice in what will happen to their body and what will be the long term effects of what has been done to them.
This website will provide you with information of Female Genital Mutilation, the different types, where it occurs around the world, the history of it, the health risks and emotional damages caused by it, the sociological aspect of the practice, and information and links that will lead you to helping to make a difference for these women.
