THE United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the UN Women have urged countries where Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) was prevalent to develop action plans to end the practice.

The organisations made the call in a joint statement by Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director, UNFPA, Henrietta Fore, Executive Director, UNICEF, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director, UN Women in commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM.

Zero tolerance for FGM is a global event commemorated on Feb. 6 annually to fight against the customary practice of non-medical genital altering or circumcision of females.

The statement noted that for such plans to be effective, they must include budget lines dedicated to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education, social welfare and legal services.

It harped on the need for institutions and economic communities to work together at the regional level to prevent the movement of girls and women across borders purposely to get them into countries with less restrictive FGM laws.

The statement identified FGM as violation of women’s rights to sexual and reproductive health, physical integrity, non-discrimination and freedom from cruel or degrading treatment.

“FGM is also a violation of medical ethics; female genital mutilation is never safe, no matter who carries it out or how clean the venue is because it is a form of gender-based violence.

“Locally, we need religious leaders to strike down myths that female genital mutilation has a basis in religion because societal pressures often drive the practice, individuals and families need more information about the benefits of abandoning it.

“Public pledges to abandon FGM, particularly pledges by entire communities are an effective model of collective commitment.

“But public pledges must be paired with comprehensive strategies for challenging the social norms, practices and behaviours that condone female genital mutilation,” it noted.

The statement in reference to Mary Oloiparuni’s ordeal said that she was mutilated at the age of 13.

According to the statement, Oloiparuni was restrained in a doorway one early morning in her home, she was cut, bled profusely and experienced agonising pain. The scarring she endured then continues to cause her pain today, 19 years later.

“It has made giving birth to each of her five children an excruciating and harrowing experience.”

Oloiparuni is not alone. At least 200 million girls and women alive today have had their genitals mutilated, suffering one of the most inhuman acts of gender-based violence in the world.

“On the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, we reaffirm our commitment to end this violation of human rights, so that the tens of millions of girls who are still at risk of being mutilated by 2030 do not experience the same suffering as Oloiparuni,” it said.

The statement noted that efforts in eliminating FGM were critical because it leads to long-term physical, psychological and social consequences.

“FGM is also a violation of medical ethics: Female genital mutilation is never safe, no matter who carries it out or how clean the venue is because it is a form of gender-based violence.

“We cannot address it in isolation from other forms of violence against women and girls, or other harmful practices such as early and forced marriages.

“To end female genital mutilation, we have to tackle the root causes of gender inequality and work for women’s social and economic empowerment,” it added.

The statement urged the media to amplify their advocacy campaigns on social media among other channels that ending female genital mutilation saved and improved lives.

The organisations lauded the collective action of governments, civil society, communities and individuals in ensuring a decline in female genital mutilation, while noting that “we are not aiming for few cases of this practice. We are insisting on zero,” (NAN)

– Feb. 6, 2019 @ 11:12 GMT |