female genital mutilation

The practice is mostly carried out by traditional circumcisers, who often play other central roles in communities, such as attending childbirths. Increasingly, however, female genital mutilation is being performed by healthcare providers.

Female genital mutilation is a harmful practice that constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women and is internationally recognised as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. Female genital mutilation is performed in every region of the world and, within some cultures, is a requirement for marriage and believed to be an effective method to control women’s and girls’ sexuality. The practice also violates a person’s rights to health, security and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and the right to life when the procedure results in death.