A blog by Linda Witong

Lead Image: From an FGM exhibition at United Nations, New York

“I was privileged to attend an event on 21 March, 2019 which dealt with the issue of Female Genital Mutilation in the US and learned of the brave women, including our own Soroptimist Dr. Nina Smart’s resolve in eliminating this horrific practice.

The audience learned that 200 million girls were alive today who had survived FGM and that an additional 68 million could be victims of this brutal practice in the by 2030. In addition, 500,000 women or girls living in the US were described as being at risk or having undergone FGM. It has also been proven that this form of torture and sexual assault on a girl, usually between the ages of infancy and 14 years old, had absolutely no benefit or medical reason to be performed; in fact a girl – if she was lucky to live through such a procedure – might expect a life of long-term medical complications and mental issues as a result of being a victim of FGM, which includes but is not limited to, difficulties during childbirth, painful sexual intercourse, urination or menstruation for women, an increase in female infections, an increased risk of being susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases or infertility.

Image: From an FGM exhibition at United Nations, New York

As a result of the incredible work done by Nina and the other experts on the panel, communities in the US now understand that FGM is a harmful and unnecessary practice and that it should not be regarded as a credible religious practice, or cause a woman or girl to be seen as being more eligible or trustworthy for marriage; promote virginity; control a woman’s sexual pleasure or make a woman “clean”. In addition, Nina and her colleagues are now also assisting communities and their leaders within the US  to see this practice as being what it truly is, an unnecessary and harmful  practice which is a form of violence or torture against women that can lead to her death. In addition, as a result of the actions of devoted and passionate advocates against FGM, laws have also been enacted which now carry a possible exposure of 20 years to life for subjecting any girl or woman to such violence. Finally, first responders, medical personnel and their staff are now also being educated about FGM and as a result, are better able to serve the needs of girls who were either potential victims or actual victims of FGM”.