According to WHO estimates, between 130 and 140 million women have undergone some form of genital mutilation. Côte d'Ivoire is one of the African countries most affected by the practice of FGM and it is estimated that 36% of women in the country have been cut. To say that the practice persists is therefore an understatement.
Female genital mutilation, including female genital cutting (FGC), refers to a set of practices that result in the partial or total removal or alteration of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons.
3 million girls mutilated each year
The operation is usually performed on young girls and sometimes on women who are about to get married, pregnant with their first child or who have just given birth.
Often performed by traditional practitioners such as excisers and birth attendants, the operation is done without anesthesia using scissors, razor blades or knives. The procedure is always traumatic and can lead to complications such as pain, shock and even death.
"FGC is a fundamental violation of human rights. In the absence of any medical necessity, it exposes girls and women to health risks and consequences that put their lives and well-being at risk," said Sylvie Dossou, UNICEF Representative in Côte d'Ivoire.
WordPress.com
No comments:
Post a Comment