Ending the Practice of Female Genital Cutting

February 6, 2008—Public awareness campaigns and community meetings will be held in countries around the world today timed with the annual Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Cutting (FGC) day.

More than 100 million women have undergone various forms of this practice, also known as female genital mutilation, and another two million girls are at risk each year.

Most common in countries of northern Africa, FGC involves the removal of parts of the female genitalia—usually when a girl is approaching puberty—in the belief that the procedure will ensure continued chastity and protect the family honor.

In addition to causing physical injuries that can include pain, hemorrhage, infection and death, girls who survive the procedure can suffer long-term psychological trauma and difficulties during childbirth.

Despite the challenges to overturning the practice, communities and countries have made progress. In Egypt, where an estimated 97 percent of married women have undergone FGC, the Health Ministry officially banned the practice in June of last year. And, the First Lady of Egypt has recommitted to speaking publicly against the practice.

CEDPA has worked in Egypt since 1980 to promote the health and well-being of Egyptian women and girls.

Ishraq participants learn different sporting activities as a method of increasing their confidence.

Most recently, CEDPA is working to combat genital mutilation and provide girls with increased life opportunities through the Ishraq program in rural upper Egypt. It is conducted in partnership with Caritas, the Population Council and Save the Children.

The program improves girls’ lives through training and other activities that promote literacy, health awareness, skills building, physical activity and civic engagement.

Participants in the Ishraq program are 13-15 year girls who are currently out of school. More than 80 percent of these girls have never attended school.

CEDPA work on Ishraq is an outgrowth of our New Visions/New Horizons education program, which reached more than 81,000 girls and 18,000 boys in Egypt over the past decade to increase literacy, build basic life skills, improve knowledge of reproductive health, and promote gender sensitivity so that boys and girls gain communications skills and become more equal partners in family life.

Findings for the Ishraq program show that it has greatly reduced girls’ support for female genital cutting. All girls who completed the full 30 months of participation said they would not have their daughters undergo genital cutting.

Learn more about Egypt’s decision to ban female genital mutilation.

Read more about the Ishraq program.

  What is RSS?