Female Genital Mutilation, Inhumanity Against Women

Female genital mutilation is a partial or total removal of the external genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organ for non medical reasons. Female genital mutilation or female circumcision is practiced in western, eastern, and north-eastern part of Africa, Middle East, near east, Southeast Asia and it affects about 135 million women and girls as of 1997.

FGM is usually carried out on girls from few days after birth to age 15 (puberty), occasionally in adulthood. It may take place in a hospital, but is usually performed without an aesthesia, by traditional circumciser using a knife, razor, or scissors.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO)FGM is practiced by 24 countries in the western, eastern and within some immigrant community in Europe, north America and Australasia. WHO also estimates that 100-140 million women and girls around the world have experienced the procedure, including 92 million in Africa?

The health organization (WHO) has classified FGM procedure into three types; type 1, the removal of the clitoral hood, almost invariably accompanied by removal of the clitoris itself(Clitoridectomy); Type 2 , the removal of the clitoris and inner Labia; and type 3(Infibulations) removal of all parts of the inner and outer labia and usually the clitoris, and the fusion of the wound , leaving a small hole for the passage of urine and menstrual blood- the fused wound is open for intercourse and childbirth. (continue reading...)