Context:
Recently, the UN agencies stated that in 2024, nearly 4.4 million girls are at risk of female genital mutilation around the world.
Relevance:
GS II: Health
Dimensions of the Article:
- Understanding Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
- Challenges in Eradicating FGM
- Global Initiatives Against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
- Sustainable Development Goal 5.3 and the Way Forward
Understanding Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
- FGM encompasses all non-medical procedures altering or injuring female genitalia, recognized globally as a violation of human rights, health, and the integrity of girls and women.
- Concentrated in Western, Eastern, and North-Eastern Africa, as well as some Middle Eastern and Asian nations.
- Global concern due to increased migration, impacting girls and women in Europe, Australia, and North America.
- Girls undergoing FGM face short-term complications and enduring consequences for sexual, reproductive, and mental health.
FGM Status in India
- No legislation currently banning FGM in India.
- Officially, the Ministry of Women and Child Development reported no supporting data for FGM existence in India (2017).
- Unofficial reports suggest FGM practices within the Bohra community in Maharashtra, Kerala, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh.
Challenges in Eradicating FGM
- Deeply rooted in cultural and social norms, passed down as a tradition through generations.
- Changing ingrained beliefs and practices proves challenging.
- Lack of understanding among individuals in communities practicing FGM about its harmful consequences.
- Limited awareness and education contribute to the perpetuation of FGM.
- Inadequate data collection and reporting hinder efforts to comprehend the issue’s scope and target effective interventions.
Global Initiatives Against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
- The United Nations Population Fund and UNICEF have jointly led the world’s largest program to eliminate FGM since 2008.
- The UN General Assembly declared February 6th as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation in 2012 to focus efforts on eradication.
- The 2024 theme is “Her Voice. Her Future,” aligning with the UN’s goal to eliminate FGM by 2030, as per Sustainable Development Goal 5.3.
Sustainable Development Goal 5.3 and the Way Forward
- SDG 5.3 aims to eradicate harmful practices, including child, early, and forced marriage, as well as female genital mutilation.
- Strengthening laws to explicitly ban FGM and imposing penalties for performers or facilitators is crucial.
- Governments must ensure effective law enforcement through relevant agencies.
- Launching comprehensive awareness campaigns is essential to educate communities about FGM’s harmful effects on physical, psychological, and sexual health.
- These campaigns should target both individuals within practicing communities and others.
- Efforts to combat FGM must be grounded in human rights principles, respecting the rights of women and girls.
- Advocacy for the inclusion of FGM prevention and response measures in the international human rights framework is imperative.
-Source: The Hindu
