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Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C)
Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), comprises all procedures that involve the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia and/or injury to the female genital organs for cultural or any other non-therapeutic reasons. FGM/C, which is linked to deeply rooted traditions and some religious and cultural beliefs, is recognized as a human rights violation and is one of many manifestations of gender inequality.
In most cases, FGM/C is carried out in unhygienic and unsanitary conditions with unsterilized knives or blades (or any sharp instruments) without any anesthesia. Along with the risk of various infections and HIV transmission, risks include infertility, complications during childbirth, chronic pain and other long-term complications. FGM/C is usually performed on minor girls. Directly or indirectly, FGM/C can lead to death.
Save the Children is working to prevent FGM through community mobilization and reform. Through community awareness, strong legislation and enforcement and community-based programming, misconceptions about harmful practices can be broken down and eventually eradicated. Challenging gender norms is also an important part of this work. Save the Children is working with local authorities, traditional leaders and community members as well as involving and targeting churches, schools, mosques and religious leaders and elders in order to prevent and eradicate FGM/C. A reduction in FGM, sexual violence and child marriage will reduce the levels of maternal and infant mortality due to under-age pregnancies and unsafe pregnancies and delivery.
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Accelerating Change towards Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Effects of community dialogues on FGM/C and child marriage
Women and girls face extreme forms of violations in Somalia; common among them is Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C). National statistics estimates over 97% of girls aged 15 to 19 years have undergone FGM/C. To accelerate change towards reduction i
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International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education
The International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education offers recommendations for the scope of a Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) programme, as well as instructions on how to plan, implement, and monitor a CSE programme. This revised version o
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Changing Social Norms in Somalia: Baseline Report on CHANGES Project addressing women empowerment, female circumcision and early marriage
Somalia is ranked as one of the bottom five countries in terms of gender inequality. Besides high rates of poverty and vulnerability, the country is struggling to make progress in most social indicators. While high vulnerability to various insecurity and
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Violence Against Women: Facts everyone should know
Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation of pandemic proportions that takes place in public and private spaces. This interactive platform by UN Women lets users explore the topics of Intimate Partner Violence, Sexual Violence and Haras
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A State-of-the-Art Synthesis on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: What do we know now?
Due to the rising prominence of efforts to end female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) among many national and global agendas, a clear understanding of scale and scope of the practice is needed. This “state-of-the-art synthesis offers a review of the mo
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FGM and Asylum in Europe
This mini-feature, a set of five articles published by Forced Migration, explores the practice of FGM in the context of asylum in Europe. FGM is the practice of Female Genital Mutilation, also known as FGM/C – female genital mutilation/cutting. Each artic
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Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Data and Trends
This document is a "wall chart" that accompanys the full Population Reference Bureau report titled: Ending Femal Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Lessons from a decade of progress. This wall chart provides statistical data with graphs and charts for visualizi
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Female Genital Mutiliation is...
This short film introduces FGM (female genital mutilation) and what it really means for more than 125 million girls and women around the world. Plan International is working to eliminate all forms of violence against girls and women, including ending harm
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A Statistical Snapshot of Violence Against Adolescent Girls
This publication presents a statistical overview of different factors relating to violence against girls, especially adolescent girls. Despite recent improvements, many adolescent girls suffer violence of various kinds, which have adverse impacts on their
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Female Genital Mutilation Factsheet
This regularly updated factsheet about female genital mutilation (FGM) includes information on the practice, health repercussions, causes, and international response to the practice. This webpage is managed and maintained by the World Health Organization
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Protecting girls to be saleema in Sudan: An expression of accepting the shift in the norm of cutting girls
As the world poises to celebrate 25 years of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Samira Amin Ahmed broaches the subject of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Sudan. The Saleema Initiative grew from the recognition of a critical lan
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Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: What might the future hold?
Published by UNICEF, this report presents quantitative data on female genital cutting/mutilation (FGM/C). Their findings show that the chances of a girl being cut today are about one third lower than it was around three decades ago. However, the pace of c