FGM

 

     Female genital mutilation is a global human rights issue, with reports being heard in Mexico, Colombia, the United States, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. However, about 30 countries have widespread female genital mutilation. Iraq, Yemen, and Indonesia are three, and the other 27 are in Africa. 

     These nations are: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Chad, Niger, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, The Gambia, Eritrea, and Djibouti.

     There is progress being made. Ethiopia, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda have all reported moderate to steep declines in the practice. Dozens of new countries are studying and reporting the practice, and most report FGM as being isolated in occurrence.

     However, in Egypt and Somalia, almost all girls are subjected to the practice. Population increases could result in declines being outmatched and the same number of girls could still be subjected to this torture. Mali, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have yet to ban the practice, while some laws have loopholes that allow teenagers to endure FGM and don't punish providers, relatives, or those who cross the border to commit the atrocity. In Mauritania, for example, no arrests have been made in the nearly 20 years the law has been on the books.