Femal Genital Mutilation and Human Rights
Female Genital Mutilation
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a procedure performed on young girls that are as early as a few days old. Female Genital Mutilation is one of the worst forms of abuse to young girls and women and should be stopped by creating awareness on this cause. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines FGM as “a procedure that involves partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or injury to other female genital organs for non-medical reasons.” Female genital mutilation is also known as, female genital cutting, and female circumcision. It is practiced in North Eastern, Western, and Eastern Africa, the Middle East, and in immigrant communities in North America and Europe. This practice is not specifically evolved from any religion. It is a procedure that is carried out in order to continue the cultural practice. There are four types of FGM which are: clitoridectomy, clitoridotomy, infibulation, and any other type of procedure carried out to injure the female’s genitals. There are many reasons as to why people have the procedure carried out on their daughters but they are all mostly social and cultural factors. FGM has been declared a human rights violation by the United Nation as it violates the rights of the child, the rights of women, and many others. Many campaigns have started running in order to create awareness on FGM and to encourage many countries to speak out against FGM by criminalizing the procedure of FGM.
The World Health Organization claims that there are four types of FGM. The first major type is called a clitoredectomy. A clitoridectomy is either the partial or total removal of the clitoris, or sometimes the labia minora. (Zaryckyj, 2009) This is mostly practiced in Sub-Saharan
Africa, East Africa, Egypt, Sudan Indonesia, and the Arabian Peninsula. The Second type of female circumcision is clitoridotomy, which is the splitting or removal of the prepuce. (Zaryckyj, 2009) This type is the least damaging type
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a procedure performed on young girls that are as early as a few days old. Female Genital Mutilation is one of the worst forms of abuse to young girls and women and should be stopped by creating awareness on this cause. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines FGM as “a procedure that involves partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or injury to other female genital organs for non-medical reasons.” Female genital mutilation is also known as, female genital cutting, and female circumcision. It is practiced in North Eastern, Western, and Eastern Africa, the Middle East, and in immigrant communities in North America and Europe. This practice is not specifically evolved from any religion. It is a procedure that is carried out in order to continue the cultural practice. There are four types of FGM which are: clitoridectomy, clitoridotomy, infibulation, and any other type of procedure carried out to injure the female’s genitals. There are many reasons as to why people have the procedure carried out on their daughters but they are all mostly social and cultural factors. FGM has been declared a human rights violation by the United Nation as it violates the rights of the child, the rights of women, and many others. Many campaigns have started running in order to create awareness on FGM and to encourage many countries to speak out against FGM by criminalizing the procedure of FGM.
The World Health Organization claims that there are four types of FGM. The first major type is called a clitoredectomy. A clitoridectomy is either the partial or total removal of the clitoris, or sometimes the labia minora. (Zaryckyj, 2009) This is mostly practiced in Sub-Saharan
Africa, East Africa, Egypt, Sudan Indonesia, and the Arabian Peninsula. The Second type of female circumcision is clitoridotomy, which is the splitting or removal of the prepuce. (Zaryckyj, 2009) This type is the least damaging type