Spotlighting Female Genital Mutilation: An International Crisis of Epidemic Proportions

The practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) presents one of the most persistent threats to the lives girls and women in the 21st century (WHO, 2022). FGM has been described as a harmful cultural tradition that severely affects the health, safety, and well-being of approximately 200 million girls and women world-wide (United Nations Population Fund, 2022). By definition, FGM covers all procedures that involve the total or partial removal of the external female genitalia, including the clitoris and vaginal lips. FGM is typically carried out with a view to ensuring that little girls remain chaste until marriage, and can take place as early as infancy in FGM-practicing countries. Since FGM is often performed under insanitary conditions, and without the use of anesthesia, FGM places victims at risk of severe and oftentimes irreparable damage to their physical integrity, sexual and reproductive health, as well as psychological well-being. Moreover, when taken to its most extreme, FGM can even lead to death resulting from the blood loss and/or infection caused by the procedure (NHS, 2023). Whilst, FGM has become increasingly more "medicalized" over time--a phenomenon commonly referred to as the "medicalization of FGM"-- the implications for victims remain the same as "there is [the] risk of health consequences immediately and later in life" (UNFP, 2018). Beyond the well-documented health, reproductive, and psychological consequences of the practice, FGM also severely undermines the “possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence…”—which has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as being practically indispensable to the full enjoyment of optimal sexual health (WHO, 2006a, updated 2010).

Due to its increasing pervasiveness, FGM must come to be recognized as an international crisis of epidemic proportions. Indeed, in February of 2018, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) made this rather poignant observation: “[i]f FGM practices continue at recent levels, 68 million girls will be cut between 2015 and 2030 in 25 countries where FGM is routinely practiced and more recent data are available” (UNFPA, 2018).

The psychology of FGM and social acceptance

The resilience of FGM as practice that is both culturally sanctioned and even extolled can be traced to harmful ideologies that perpetuate a gendered status quo which demands total female subservience. Those ideologies are also rooted in sexism and an irrational fear of the apparent dangers of (uncontrolled) female sexuality. Indeed, proponents of FGM often argue that FGM is necessary to ensure female chastity and marketability for marriage.  In this way, FGM becomes a prerequisite for marriage and, by the same token, a rite of passage into womanhood within practicing societies. Certainly, it is usually the case that girls who remain uncircumcised past a certain age will be socially ostracized and/or alienated by their families and wider communities as they are seen as unfit for marriage and/or perceived as "unclean"/ sexually "loose".

Interestingly too, the practice of FGM can arguably be seen as comparable in certain respects to the practice of hazing due to the important parallels between their respective social functionalities. In particular, much like hazing FGM is effectively held out as gateway to social acceptance by the desired social group/groups. In the absence of FGM or hazing being undergone by the individual who wishes to be accepted by the desired social group, that individual runs the risk of being socially ostracized or alienated thereby ultimately frustrating the fulfilment of their need and, indeed desire, to belong. This is so despite the fact that FGM, much like hazing, can be emotionally, mentally, and physically damaging, and even life-threatening when taken to the extreme.

FGM and the Law

The position concerning the legality of FGM varies across the world. For example, in countries such as Djibouti, Sudan, and Somalia, the practice of FGM is particularly widespread and very much legal. By contrast, FGM is illegal in western countries like the United Kingdom.

According to a recent Health and Demographic Survey conducted in Somalia, approximately 99.2% of girls and women between the ages of 15-49 in Somalia and Somaliland, have been subjected to FGM at some point in their lives (UNICEF and UNFPA call on the government of Somalia to commit to ending FGM by passing law prohibiting the practice). Quite significantly, Somalia, Sudan, and Djibouti are all members of the United Nations (UN), and more importantly, signatories to various consequential international human rights instruments. This fact is especially important since FGM would undeniably violate the letter and spirit of several UN international human rights instruments, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) 1989, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Violence Against Women 1979 (CEDAW), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966 (ICCPR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights 1966 (ICESCR), and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 1984 (the Torture Convention), for the mere fact that the UN General Assembly itself recognizes FGM as a “human rights violation against women and girls”, and unanimously passed a resolution banning the practice in 2012 (United Nations bans female genital mutilation | UN Women – Headquarters).

As at the time of writing, Somalia, Djibouti, Sudan, and indeed several other countries in which FGM is actively practiced--such as India, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka--have all VOLUNTARILY ratified the CRC, CEDAW, ICCPR, ICESCR, and the Torture Convention, and by so doing expressed a willingness to ensure that its laws, policies and practices are in compliance with them. The mere fact of their ratification of those human rights instruments would bring those countries in clear violation of their treaty obligations by virtue of their failure to explicitly proscribe FGM in law. The almost irresistible inference to be drawn from their failure in this regard is that they remain firmly in support of a practice which has not be shown to yield any benefits to their societies neither has it been shown to find support in any of the religious texts to which they subscribe—mostly notably the Quran.

FGM-focused activism—The Work of the Desert Flower Foundation

Despite the ever increasing pervasiveness of FGM and the millions of girls and women whose lives continue to be upended by the practice, there have been notable activist efforts to combat the disastrous effects of FGM. One such example is embodied by the brave and amazing work of the Desert Flower Foundation.

Established in 2002, the Desert Flower Foundation has virtually pioneered activist efforts to combat FGM as well as empower and support survivors. The Desert Flower Foundation is the brain child of Ms. Waris Dirie, an amazing, internationally renowned, and hugely inspirational activist against FGM. In 1997, Waris Dirie gave an interview to Marie Claire in which she spoke briefly about her life journey and her experience with FGM. This was followed two years later by the publication of her autobiography ‘Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Life of a Desert Nomad’ by Waris Dirie and Cathleen Miller. The autobiography beautifully detailed Waris Dirie's journey from the nomadic deserts of Somalia where she was subjected to FGM at the tender age of five (5) years old then fled to Mogadishu (Somalia's capital) to escape an arranged marriage to a man more than twice her age. She eventually ended up in the United Kingdom, where she became a highly sought after model appearing Pirelli and Chanel campaigns, among others, in the late 1980s as well as the1990s.

*Waris Dirie for Chanel circa unknown. Image Credit: The Desert Flower Foundation.

*Waris Dirie circa 1990s. Image Credit: The Desert Flower Foundation.

Her interview and the publication of her autobiography marked a pivotal point in the history of FGM-focused activism as it was perhaps the first time that a well-known figure had so fearlessly called attention to an issue that was to be sequestered within the shadows of African society, never to really be questioned, or otherwise spoken about. But by piercing the veil of secrecy surrounding FGM, Waris Dirie unapologetically challenged and disrupted antiquated conceptions of acceptable African womanhood. Today, her autobiography is widely heralded for being one of the first to bring the issue of FGM to international prominence through the lens of a survivor.

The self-described goal of the Desert Flower Foundation is to ‘educate and inform people worldwide, to support women affected by FGM and to save girls from this inhuman practice, which should not exist in our society in the 21st century’ (Home - Desert Flower Foundation). This goal is pursued through various initiatives, including the Desert Flower Foundation’s “Save a Little Desert Flower” sponsorship programme, which relies on a monthly donation of 30 Euros from benefactors around the world. Thus far, the sponsorship programme has saved “1,000 little girls in Africa” from FGM, “by signing contracts with their parents to guarantee their integrity”. The sponsorship programme also focuses on providing its beneficiaries—affectionately called little “desert flowers”—with the opportunity to receive an education as well as regular health checks aimed at ensuring that no “sign of FGM has been performed…” (Save a Little Desert Flower - Desert Flower Foundation).

The first beneficiary of the “Save a Little Desert Flower” sponsorship programme was Safa Idriss Nour from Dijibouti. In 2009, Safa had played a young Waris Dirie the 2009 movie based on Waris' autobiography. At that time, Safa’s family had signed a contract promising to never subject her to FGM in exchange for financial, medical and educational support from the Desert Flower Foundation. However, several years passed and Safa wrote a letter informing Waris that her family was now having second thoughts about the contract due to social alienation from neighbours, who were both incensed by the family’s blatant defiance of “culture”, and presumably jealous of the support that Safa and her family had been receiving from the Desert Flower Foundation. Fortunately, Waris managed to convince Safa's family to reaffirm their commitment to never circumcise her after exposing them to the work that the Desert Flower Foundation was doing to combat FGM in Somalia, Dijibouti and in other FGM-practicing countries.

*Baby Safa Idriss Nour circa unknown. Image Credit: The Desert Flower Foundation.

*Baby Safa Idriss Nour circa unknown. Image Credit: The Desert Flower Foundation.

*Waris Dirie and Safa Idriss Nour at Safa's school in Dijibouti circa unknown. Image credit: The Guardian UK.

In addition to organizing and spearheading FGM prevention efforts, the Desert Flower Foundation continues to provide support to survivors of FGM world-wide. In this consequential way, the work of the Desert Flower Foundation has been far-reaching, impactful, and has served as a beacon of hope for many survivors of FGM. Through the sacrificial donations of its benefactors, the Desert Flower Foundation has made commendable progress in reducing the number of girls who are at risk of being mutilated. Supporting the Desert Flower Foundation’s sponsorship programme can afford a little desert flower the opportunity to live a life free from the violence of FGM, as well as to be saved to a future filled with greater possibilities...And that is a truly remarkable thing.