Many countries in Africa are making progress in eradication of the harmful practice of female genital mutilation, in spite of its prevalence in the region, according to The UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
The UN Women gave this report in a statement on the 2017 International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, commemorated on Feb. 6.
“The importance of education to address negative social norms has been demonstrated in Egypt, where the reduction in the risk of girls undergoing FGM has been linked both to the educational attainment of their mothers, as well as of other women in their communities.”
“We have witnessed how the powerful personal testimony and advocacy of activists such as Jaha Dukureh in The Gambia can bring increased understanding of the issues to local communities and amplify the voices of a growing movement calling upon leaders to put an end to this practice.
“In The Gambia, the adoption of legislation has created an enabling environment for the Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children to support those who have carried out FGM to acquire skills to find alternative livelihoods.
“It has also empowered women to take an active role in protecting other women and girls and increased community awareness of FGM’s harmful impacts.”
“In Somalia, the Y-PEER network has helped mobilise young people, including young men to discuss sensitive issues, such as female genital mutilation,” the UN Women agency said.
According to it, however, further research is needed in areas outside Africa, as the harmful practice is also prevalent in Latin America, South-East Asia and areas of the Middle East, as well as now being present in the U.S. and the UK.
The UN women agency expressed concerns that while there has been an overall decline in the prevalence of the female genital mutilation across countries, this progress is likely to be offset by rapid population growth in countries where the harmful practice occurs, unless efforts to eliminate the practice are renewed in light of recent research, and urgently stepped up.
It said a 2016 report of the UN Secretary-General showed that the single largest factor influencing the continuation of female genital mutilation to be the desire for social acceptance and avoidance of social stigma.
“The social norms, customs and values that condone female genital mutilation are multi-faceted, vary across countries and even between communities, and can change over time.
“This presents a powerful and complex challenge for all those engaged in the effort to end female genital mutilation,” UN Women said.
The UN agency added that the collection and analysis of data is crucial to better tailor its interventions in light of the specific factors associated with the practice globally.
“We must pay greater attention to the risks associated with migration and the greater movement between borders.
“Women and girls are still extremely vulnerable, even in countries which are not traditionally associated with the practice of female genital mutilation, if families on the move maintain the practice.”
“To accelerate progress towards ending female genital mutilation, we are working with governments, local administrations and civil society partners to address the root causes that perpetuate unequal power relations between women and men, and also with sister agencies, such as UNICEF and UNFPA, on their long-standing campaigns.
“Together, we must keep this issue at the forefront of the human rights agenda,” the UN Women stated. (NAN)
