OVER 230 million women and girls have undergone female genital mutilation, most of them living in Africa, according to a report published today by the United Nations children’s agency.
In the last eight years, some 30 million people have been subjected to the procedure, in which external genitalia are partially or fully removed, Unicef estimates in the report released on International Women’s Day.
The percentage of women and girls who suffer female genital mutilation is falling, Unicef said, but it warned that efforts to eradicate the practice are moving too slowly to keep up with fast-growing populations.
“The practice of female genital mutilation is declining, but not fast enough,” the report says.
The practice, incorrectly believed to control women’s sexuality, can cause serious bleeding and even death. Girls are subjected to the procedure at ages ranging from infancy to adolescence.
In the long term, female genital mutilation can lead to urinary tract infections, menstrual problems, pain, decreased sexual satisfaction and childbirth complications.
Unicef executive director Catherine Russell said: “We’re also seeing a worrying trend that more girls are subjected to the practice at younger ages, many before their fifth birthday. That further reduces the window to intervene.”
Some 144 million women and girls have been through female genital mutilation in Africa alone, followed by Asia and the Middle East with 80 million and six million respectively, the report said.
Somalia tops the list of countries where the practice, sometimes referred to as female circumcision, is prevalent, with 99 per cent of the female population between the ages of 15 and 49 having been victims.
The report also shows that four in every 10 survivors live in conflict-torn countries with high population growth rates, adding that political instability disrupts efforts to prevent the practice and provide support to victims.
“Ethiopia, Nigeria and Sudan account for the largest numbers of girls and women who have undergone female genital mutilation in conflict-affected countries,” it says.
