Female genital mutilation: “We need laws to put an end to these practices”
According to Unicef, at least 200 million girls and women have been victims of sexual mutilation and 30 million girls are at risk of being so over the next ten years.
The majority of them live in 30 countries in Africa and the Middle East, and it is estimated that 5% of these mutilated women live in Europe.
Interview with Claudia Cappa, author of the report and head of the Child Protection and Development Unit at Unicef.
More than 230 million girls and women alive today around the world have undergone genital mutilation, a figure up 15% since the previous estimate in 2016, according to a UNICEF report.
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By: Clea Broadhurst Follow
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RFI: The number of genital mutilations is increasing, can you explain to us why?
Claudia Cappa:
The total number of victims of female genital mutilation has increased by 15% compared to the data we published in 2016, because the pace of progress in ending female genital mutilation remains too slow and is failing to keep up the rate of population growth.
Particularly in countries where this practice is most widespread.
This pace is not sufficient to achieve the United Nations' sustainable development goal of eliminating female genital mutilation by 2030. Progress would therefore need to be 27 times faster to successfully eradicate this practice. here there.
It's almost impossible.
Female genital mutilation has been around for centuries, it takes time to change people's thinking and to change behavior.
What worries you, what worries you most, today?
Unfortunately, there are trends in the world that go against women's rights.
There have been changes in legislation.
However, legislation is very important.
We must adopt and apply laws against female genital mutilation because the laws send a message to the population, it is a way of saying: “
This practice has no right to exist.
» At the same time, we also need to change the mentality of women and men.
Genital mutilation is a cultural practice that is linked to the idea that, for example, women do not have the right to be interested in sex.
Genital mutilation is linked to gender inequalities, and we see in the world that sometimes, even progress in terms of laws and changes in mentality remains weak.
Why are these practices still so common in certain regions of the world?
Attitudes towards female genital mutilation have changed, but personal opinions are not enough, due to social pressure.
In some countries, genital mutilation is linked to rites of passage that occur around adolescence, and which are, once again, linked to the perception of women and girls, to the concept of virginity, for example.
We must therefore change mentalities and not just of individuals, but also of communities.
Mothers sometimes don't find the courage to go against the opinions of others.
Sometimes it is a taboo subject, there is no debate within families or within communities.
Some women may think that men are supportive of the practice, even if they are not.
Men very often remain silent.
They do not dare to intervene, they do not want to get involved in matters considered to be “women’s affairs”.
So there is a silence and because of this silence, we have the impression that this is a subject that we cannot talk about openly.
Also listen: Female genital mutilation, the fight continues
What does Unicef recommend to get as close as possible to the 2030 objective?
To eradicate female genital mutilation, Unicef urges leaders and communities to redouble their efforts to end discrimination and gender inequalities, and to urgently invest in services for girls.
To promote the agency and strengths of girls and also to give priority to rights in the law.
We need laws against genital mutilation, and policies too, and at the same time we need to have laws that guarantee women's access to the job market and to education.
Having access to education and employment is a way of making women more independent and of sending a message to society that the role of women is not simply linked to the role of woman and of mother.
So it's a whole series of laws and policies necessary to promote the end of harmful practices like female genital mutilation.
In Gambia, Parliament is examining a text legalizing excision again. What do you think ?
Unfortunately, these are trends we have seen in several countries.
Even at the level of the media and social networks for example, there are several debates, sometimes highlighting the need to remain attached to traditions and customs such as female genital mutilation.
These debates and these proposals for changing the legislation are very dangerous.
Traditions are important, but not all traditions should be kept, there are traditions that are positive and traditions that are harmful.
Especially since many women die as a result of these mutilations?
There are many who die, and there are also many who live their entire lives with the harmful consequences of mutilation, on the body, but also psychological consequences.
Genital mutilation can be removal of the clitoris, excision (total or partial removal of the clitoris and labia minora) or infibulation (excision plus suturing of the vaginal opening to narrow it).
They have immediate repercussions, but also in the long term, for example in terms of childbirth.
There are forms of genital mutilation which involve the cutting of the genitals, closed and then reopened when, for example, the woman begins to have sexual intercourse or during childbirth.
You also highlight in the report that there is progress in reducing these practices which violate the most fundamental human rights.
According to the report, in the countries of Africa and the Middle East, almost 400 million people are opposed to it, which is 2/3 of the population of these countries.
This is never seen before.
So the level of opposition to these practices continues to increase.
This is why we really need to create the conditions so that this opposition can lead to a change in behavior.
There are countries that have made a lot of progress.
Some regions of Kenya, for example, have completely abandoned these practices.
There are several positive cases which show that abandoning these practices is possible.
Also listen to World Day Against Female Genital Mutilation
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