Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a nightmare that girls across Africa continue to experience in the 21st century. Close to 3 million girls risk undergoing this process every year. Different cultures give different reasons as to why they still go on with the practice to date (see reference link). The culture is also ethnic based as they perform different types of the act. 10% of women have experienced the most severe form, infibulation, while 80% have experienced either clitoridectomy or excision. (see reference link) What’s more annoying is that the procedure is done so that women can be ‘good enough for men. It’s done for the good of men and not the woman who has to endure pain and all the complications that come with it.

Sexual satisfaction is not and should not be designed for men only. Culture plays an important role in the case of FGM. Girls are told how inadequate and unsatisfying a wife they will be if they don’t take the knife. Our cultures impede our right to privacy, confidentiality, and full-body autonomy by dictating what we ought to do with our private parts.

FGM is an outdated, retrogressive, and sexually limiting practice that should have been eliminated yesterday. You should decide what happens to your body because only you will suffer the consequences of your actions and not your perpetrators. Speak up! Speak out! FGM is an ill culture. 200 million girls and women are enough testament of the damages this practice poses on the sexual health of women around the world.(see reference link)

‘Culture does not make people; people make culture.’ Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie stated this in her book Dear Ijawaele, A feminist manifesto in 15 suggestions, and we couldn’t agree more. Ask your people to step up! Put an end to this culture and make new accommodating, freeing, and transformational cultures; you know what they say, change is inevitable.