The problem
The World Health Organization recognizes Female Genital Cutting as the greatest form of Violence against women and girls today. This practice involves cutting a girl’s clitoris and labia, often using unsterilized blades and knives. It can cause severe bleeding, infections, infertility and even death. For a young girl subjected to Female genital mutilation the pain does not end with the cut of the blade, on her wedding night she relives the trauma. When she becomes pregnant she faces the prospect of life-threatening complications.
Right now 200 million women and girls alive today have undergone female genital cutting. In Africa , 3 million girls are at risk of FGM. In Kenya the Kuria community has one of the highest female circumcision prevalence rates at 84% according to a recent report by the Kenya Health and Demographic survey meaning 8 in every 10 girls as young as 8 are at a risk of being cut every single year.
WHY ENDING FGM IS SUPER IMPORTANT FOR US
Female Genital Mutilation is violence against girls and women; a violation of their human dignity and rights. 8 in 10 girls in our community is at risk of undergoing the cute every single circumcision season. This number is way too much, these are not just a statistic its dreams, professionals, leaders, Changemakers cut short. We want girls to be free from any form of violence, allowed to be children and given opportunity to thrive; Female Genital Mutilation begins the circle of violence and normalizes it. We will continue being fearless, committed and relentless in our efforts to end the cut with us in one generation.