PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
UN chief calls for zero tolerance for genital mutilation
New York, US (PANA) - Female genital mutilation, is “an abhorrent human rights violation” still affecting women and girls around the globe, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated in his message for the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, marked on Wednesday.
“It denies them their dignity, endangers their health and causes needless pain and suffering, even death,” the UN chief added, according to a UN statement.
FGM - sometimes called female circumcision - involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for no medical reason, and results in severe physical and mental health consequences for girls and women.
According to Mr. Guterres, it “is rooted in gender inequalities and power imbalances – and it sustains them by limiting opportunities for girls and women to realize their rights and full potential”.
In cultures that condone FGM, it is usually performed by a traditional practitioner with crude instruments and without an anesthetic.
“An estimated 200 million women and girls alive today have been subject to this harmful practice,” the UN chief said, “and every year, almost four million girls are at risk”.
About 80 per cent of women and girls who have undergone the procedure have had their clitoris and labia minora removed. Complications include severe pain, hemorrhaging, sepsis, urethra damage, painful sexual intercourse and other sexual dysfunction.
Genital mutilation also has psychological repercussions, with many victims feeling anxious, depressed, incomplete and traumatized.
“The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for the elimination of female genital mutilation by 2030,” the UN chief noted, adding that the UN “joins hands with global, regional and national actors in supporting holistic and integrated initiatives to achieve this objective”.
Tackling FGM is also part of the UN’s Spotlight Initiative, launched in partnership with the European Union to end all forms of violence against women and girls.
While strong political commitment is yielding positive change in some countries, if current trends persist, Mr. Guterres underscored that “these advances will continue to be outpaced by rapid population growth where the practice is concentrated”.
“On this Day of Zero Tolerance, I call for increased, concerted and global action to end female genital mutilation and fully uphold the human rights of all women and girls,” said the Secretary-General.
-0- PANA MA 6Feb2019
“It denies them their dignity, endangers their health and causes needless pain and suffering, even death,” the UN chief added, according to a UN statement.
FGM - sometimes called female circumcision - involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for no medical reason, and results in severe physical and mental health consequences for girls and women.
According to Mr. Guterres, it “is rooted in gender inequalities and power imbalances – and it sustains them by limiting opportunities for girls and women to realize their rights and full potential”.
In cultures that condone FGM, it is usually performed by a traditional practitioner with crude instruments and without an anesthetic.
“An estimated 200 million women and girls alive today have been subject to this harmful practice,” the UN chief said, “and every year, almost four million girls are at risk”.
About 80 per cent of women and girls who have undergone the procedure have had their clitoris and labia minora removed. Complications include severe pain, hemorrhaging, sepsis, urethra damage, painful sexual intercourse and other sexual dysfunction.
Genital mutilation also has psychological repercussions, with many victims feeling anxious, depressed, incomplete and traumatized.
“The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for the elimination of female genital mutilation by 2030,” the UN chief noted, adding that the UN “joins hands with global, regional and national actors in supporting holistic and integrated initiatives to achieve this objective”.
Tackling FGM is also part of the UN’s Spotlight Initiative, launched in partnership with the European Union to end all forms of violence against women and girls.
While strong political commitment is yielding positive change in some countries, if current trends persist, Mr. Guterres underscored that “these advances will continue to be outpaced by rapid population growth where the practice is concentrated”.
“On this Day of Zero Tolerance, I call for increased, concerted and global action to end female genital mutilation and fully uphold the human rights of all women and girls,” said the Secretary-General.
-0- PANA MA 6Feb2019
