11,000 girls have their genitals mutilated every day.

That makes more than four million sufferers every single year.

The latest data, emerging from surveys in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania, are alarming.

The United Nations estimates that number could increase.

On the occasion of the International Day against Female Genital Mutilation this Sunday, the German Development Ministry writes that the corona pandemic has thrown back the fight against female genital mutilation.

Martin Franke

Editor on duty at FAZ.NET.

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The day has been held since 2003 to draw attention to this form of human rights violations.

Many victims were added due to school closures and prevention programs that could not take place during the pandemic.

Studies assume that as a result of the pandemic, an additional two million women and girls could be affected by female genital mutilation by 2030.

In female genital mutilation, the external genital organs are removed in whole or in part with sharp objects such as broken glass, razor blades or knives without medical reason.

This is often done without anesthesia.

Not all women and girls survive this procedure.

Many of them suffer throughout their lives from pain, infection, trauma, complications in childbirth and sexual dysfunction.

Around 200 million people worldwide are living with the consequences of female genital mutilation.

Jan Kreutzberg, Managing Director of the German Foundation for World Population (DSW), says: "The trauma and health consequences of genital mutilation usually accompany girls and women throughout their lives." In the past 30 years, the number of female genital mutilations is said to have fallen by 15 percent .

In some countries, such as Somalia and Mali, almost every girl and woman is affected.

Tradition in many places stronger than law

Female genital mutilation is an expression and cause of sexual inequality and also represents a serious violation of human rights. According to Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD), the topic “shows very clearly what we mean by feminist development policy: it is not enough to fight the symptoms.

Rather, we must fundamentally identify and overcome discriminatory power structures and harmful social norms.” In affected communities, girls and women without genital mutilation are not considered marriageable.

Female genital mutilation has been part of the traditions and beliefs of many societies for centuries and can be found in both Islamic and Christian societies.

Prohibitions and corresponding laws already in force in most countries,

Information and education are the main ways to combat female genital mutilation.

As the DSW writes, numerous studies have shown that after enlightening young people, more than nine out of ten men rejected the practice.

The problem, however, is the underfunding, says Kreutzberg.

"Currently, 2.1 billion US dollars are still missing worldwide to set up further programs and thus achieve the sustainable development goal set by the UN of ending the practice by 2030." In addition, there would be costs for medical treatment after the mutilation, which according to the World Health Organization amount to 1.4 billion US dollars annually.

He demands of the federal government, which mentions sexual and reproductive health and rights in its coalition agreement, that its “words must be followed by deeds”.

According to Schulze, the federal government relies on a “holistic approach to overcoming it”. The ministry wants to strengthen education, awareness-raising and dialogue together with state and civil society organizations and focus policy advice on all political levels. “We prioritize protecting the rights of women and girls. Human rights are indivisible, for all genders.” Traditional and religious authorities as well as the older generation played a special role, says Schulze. The Federal Ministry is financing the regional project "Improving the Prevention of Female Genital Mutilation in East Africa" ​​in Somaliland, Sudan and Ethiopia with 5.9 million euros. more 2,According to their own statements, there are 8 million euros for civil society organizations in this area.