Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Overview

• Affects at least 200 million women globally
• Equivalent to the combined population of the UK and France

Definition

• FGM is the cutting and removal of parts of the female genitalia.

Case Study: Mary

• Mary is born to a mother who names her Mary.
• Mary undergoes FGM at the age of two.
• The procedure has no health benefits but can cause serious health complications, including death.

Health Risks

• FGM causes extreme pain and has severe health consequences, including:
  • Difficulties during childbirth
  • Severe menstrual pain
  • Infections
• Girls are often cut in unsanitary conditions with unsterilized equipment and without anesthesia.

Legal Status

• FGM was banned in Senegal in 1999.
• Despite the ban, the practice still occurs.

Mary's Life

• Now a teenager, Mary is married.
• One consequence of FGM is intense pain during intercourse.
• Mary almost dies while giving birth due to complications from FGM.
• Complications associated with FGM can persist throughout a woman's life.
• Mary survives childbirth and has a baby girl named Mata.

Continuation of the Cycle

• The cycle of FGM continues with the next generation.