Where is female circumcision illegal

Moreover, in , over 69 bills addressing cutting were introduced in over 25 states. Utah was an interesting example of a strong law aiming to protect over 1, women and girls at risk in the state. The enacted legislation included felony charges to perpetrators, prosecution of practitioners, parents, guardians, and FGM facilitators, as well as license revocation for medical professionals, among others.

It is expected that laws in other states , such as Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Kentucky, Washington state, and the District of Columbia will get enacted during the legislative session ending in May. The WHO recognizes FGM as a human rights violation perpetrated upon little girls and women, and it is estimate than at least hundred million women have been cut.

In countries such as the UK, where FGM is illegal, expert and barrister Dr Charlotte Proudman says it is increasingly being performed on babies and infants. Therefore it is "almost impossible to detect" as the girls are not in school or old enough to report it. Recently a mother in London became the first person in the UK to be found guilty of carrying out FGM on her three-year-old daughter.

She will be sentenced on 8 March. Image source, Getty Images. This woman in Mombasa, Kenya shows the razorblade she has used on girls' genitals. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. She is now an anti FGM campaigner. What is Female Genital Mutilation? Unicef estimates more than million girls and women have suffered FGM in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, but also within migrant communities where FGM is common - in Spain, 18, girls are considered to be at risk.

Bishara became an anti FGM campaigner after struggling to cope with her mutilation. There are four types of FGM. Why does it happen? Some Kenyan Maasai women voiced opposition to a FGM ban because of fears that uncut girls would not be able to get married or become promiscuous.

But in some countries it may be done by a medical professional. Anaesthetics and antiseptics are not generally used, and FGM is often carried out using knives, scissors, scalpels, pieces of glass or razor blades. FGM often happens against a girl's will without her consent, and girls may have to be forcibly restrained.

FGM can make it difficult and painful to have sex. It can also result in reduced sexual desire and a lack of pleasurable sensation. Talk to your GP or another healthcare professional if you have sexual problems that you feel may be caused by FGM, as they can refer you to a special therapist who can help. In some cases, a surgical procedure called a deinfibulation may be recommended, which can alleviate and improve some symptoms. Some women with FGM may find it difficult to become pregnant, and those who do conceive can have problems in childbirth.

If you're expecting a baby, your midwife should ask you if you have had FGM at your antenatal appointment. It's important to tell your midwife if you think this has happened to you so they can arrange appropriate care for you and you baby. FGM can be an extremely traumatic experience that can cause emotional difficulties throughout life, including;. In some cases, women may not remember having the FGM at all, especially if it was performed when they were an infant. Talk to a GP or another healthcare professional if you're experiencing emotional or mental health problems that may be a result of FGM.

Help and support is available. It's sometimes known as a reversal, although this name is misleading as the procedure does not replace any removed tissue and will not undo the damage caused.

In some cases, medical professionals perform FGM. In some countries, this can reach as high as three in four girls. FGM is carried out with special knives, scissors, scalpels, pieces of glass or razor blades.

Anaesthetic and antiseptics are generally not used unless the procedure is carried out by medical practitioners. In communities where infibulations is practiced, girls' legs are often bound together to immobilize them for days, allowing the formation of scar tissue. In every society in which it is practiced, female genital mutilation is a manifestation of deeply entrenched gender inequality.

Where it is widely practiced, FGM is supported by both men and women, usually without question, and anyone that does not follow the norm may face condemnation, harassment and ostracism. It may be difficult for families to abandon the practice without support from the wider community. In fact, it is often practiced even when it is known to inflict harm upon girls because the perceived social benefits of the practice are deemed higher than its disadvantages.

It is thought to ensure virginity before marriage and fidelity afterward, and to increase male sexual pleasure. Sometimes myths about female genitalia e. Hygiene and aesthetic reasons: In some communities, the external female genitalia are considered dirty and ugly and are removed, ostensibly to promote hygiene and aesthetic appeal.

Religious reasons: Although FGM is not endorsed by either Islam or by Christianity, supposed religious doctrine is often used to justify the practice. Socio-economic factors: In many communities, FGM is a prerequisite for marriage. Where women are largely dependent on men, economic necessity can be a major driver of the procedure. FGM sometimes is a prerequisite for the right to inherit.

It may also be a major income source for practitioners. No religion promotes or condones FGM. Still, more than half of girls and women in four out of 14 countries where data is available saw FGM as a religious requirement. And although FGM is often perceived as being connected to Islam, perhaps because it is practiced among many Muslim groups, not all Islamic groups practice FGM, and many non-Islamic groups do, including some Christians, Ethiopian Jews, and followers of certain traditional African religions.

FGM is thus a cultural rather than a religious practice. In fact, many religious leaders have denounced it. Culture and tradition provide a framework for human well-being, and cultural arguments cannot be used to condone violence against people, male or female. Moreover, culture is not static, but constantly changing and adapting. Nevertheless, activities for the elimination of FGM should be developed and implemented in a way that is sensitive to the cultural and social background of the communities that practice it.

Behaviour can change when people understand the hazards of certain practices and when they realize that it is possible to give up harmful practices without giving up meaningful aspects of their culture. Every child has the right to be protected from harm, in all settings and at all times.

The movement to end FGM — often local in origin — is intended to protect girls from profound, permanent and completely unnecessary harm. The evidence shows that most people in affected countries want to stop cutting girls, and that overall support for FGM is declining even in countries where the practice is almost universal such as Egypt and Sudan. Ending FGM will take intensive and sustained collaboration from all parts of society, including families and communities, religious and other leaders, the media, governments and the international community.

Ethnicity is the most significant factor in FGM prevalence, cutting across socio-economic class and level of education. Members of certain ethnic groups often adhere to the same social norms, including whether or not to practice FGM, regardless of where they live. The FGM prevalence among ethnic Somalis living in Kenya, for example, at 94 per cent, is similar to the prevalence in Somalia, and far higher than the Kenyan national average of 21 per cent, according to the most recent information available.

But there are exceptions. In Senegal , for example, there are major variations in FGM prevalence among Mandingue women, depending on where they live — 55 per cent in urban areas versus 84 per cent in rural areas.

Similarly, FGM prevalence among the Poular ranges from 41 per cent in urban areas to 56 per cent in rural areas. Women around the world are speaking out about their experiences and advocating change. I assumed we were going for a holiday. A bit later they told us that we were going to be infibulated. The day before our operation was due to take place, another girl was infibulated and she died because of the operation. We were so scared and didn't want to suffer the same fate.

But our parents told us it was an obligation, so we went. We fought back; we really thought we were going to die because of the pain. You have one woman holding your mouth so you won't scream, two holding your chest and the other two holding your legs.

After we were infibulated, we had rope tied across our legs so it was like we had to learn to walk again. We had to try to go to the toilet. If you couldn't pass water in the next 10 days something was wrong. We were lucky, I suppose. We gradually recovered and didn't die like the other girl. But the memory and the pain never really go away. I told them how much the operation had hurt me, how it had traumatized me and made me not trust my own parents. The decided they did not want this to happen to their daughter.

Medicalized FGM can take place in a public or private clinic, at home or elsewhere. This strategy reflects consensus between international experts, United Nations entities and the Member States they represent. In addition, the global commitment to eliminate all forms of FGM by is clearly stated in target 5.