Status: 03.02.2023 2:51 p.m
More women and girls are being genitally mutilated around the world – around 8,000 times a day. Millions of those affected suffer the consequences. According to the World Population Foundation, the reasons for the increase are droughts and the corona pandemic.
The worldwide number of female genital mutilations is increasing again. According to the German Foundation for World Population (DSW) more than 8000 girls and women are subjected to this physical and human rights violation every day.
The increasing numbers are due to the corona pandemic and droughts. “Due to the school closings during the pandemic, the girls were deprived of an important protective space,” explained the deputy managing director of DSW, Angela Bähr. Droughts, in turn, put the families in such a precarious situation that the daughters’ marriage appears to be an economic necessity. Their genital mutilation is often a prerequisite for this.
In addition to shelters and medical care, according to the foundation, girls and women are helped above all by education. “Only if they get a voice can the social change that is essential to end these deeply rooted, harmful rituals take place,” said Bähr.
No theological basis whatsoever
According to the DSW, religion is often cited as a reason for this violent practice. But there is no theological basis for it. Rather, for some population groups, genital mutilation is part of their cultural identity. They are considered a traditional rite of passage from girl to woman, which is much older than Christianity or Islam.
The external female sex organs such as the clitoris or vulval lips are removed. In some methods, the remnants are then sewn together. Many girls and women subsequently bleed to death or die of infections.
Female genital mutilation is still practiced in a total of 30 countries – in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, although it is officially forbidden. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 200 million suffer from the consequences. Survivors are often traumatized and experience pain throughout their lives.
Twenty years ago, in 2003, First Ladies and human rights activists from Africa declared February 6 the International Day Against Female Genital Mutilation. The United Nations joined in 2012.