Female circumcision

Female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation (FGM), is a procedure that involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It is a practice that is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

Overview

Female circumcision is mostly carried out on young girls between infancy and age 15. It is a deeply rooted tradition, believed to reduce a woman's libido and thus believed to help her resist illicit sexual acts. However, these beliefs are not supported by any empirical evidence and are widely disputed.

Types of Female Circumcision

There are four types of female circumcision, classified by the World Health Organization (WHO):

1. Type I: Also known as clitoridectomy, this type involves the partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or the prepuce.
2. Type II: Also known as excision, this type involves the partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora.
3. Type III: Also known as infibulation, this is the narrowing of the vaginal opening through the creation of a covering seal, formed by cutting and repositioning the labia minora and/or the labia majora, with or without removal of the clitoris.
4. Type IV: This includes all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, such as pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterizing the genital area.

Health Risks

Female circumcision has no health benefits and it harms girls and women in many ways. It involves removing and damaging healthy and normal female genital tissue, and interferes with the natural functions of girls' and women's bodies. Immediate complications can include severe pain, shock, hemorrhage, tetanus or sepsis, urine retention, open sores in the genital region and injury to nearby genital tissue.

Long-term consequences can range from recurrent bladder and urinary tract infections, cysts, infertility, an increased risk of childbirth complications and newborn deaths, and the need for later surgeries. For example, the FGM procedure that seals or narrows a vaginal opening needs to be cut open later to allow for sexual intercourse and childbirth. Sometimes it is stitched again several times, including after childbirth, hence the woman goes through repeated opening and closing procedures, further increasing both immediate and long-term risks.

Legality and Prevalence

Female circumcision is illegal in many countries, including those in which it is prevalent. The practice is most common in the western, eastern, and north-eastern regions of Africa, in some countries in Asia and the Middle East, and among certain immigrant communities in North America and Europe.

See Also

• World Health Organization
• Human rights
• Childbirth
• Infertility

Female circumcision Resources
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