World observes international day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting

World observes international day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting

Tuesday, February 07, 2012: Yesterday, the world community observed the ninth annual International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/ Cutting (FGM/C).

It is estimated that 100 to 140 million women around the world have undergone this brutal procedure and three million girls are at risk every year.

While observing the day, the resolve to continue to act to end this affront to women’s equality and the rights and dignity of women and girls was express worldwide.

No religion mandates this procedure, though it occurs across cultures, religions, and continents. It is performed on girls in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Even in the United States the communities are fighting this practice.

FGM/C became a federal crime in the United States in 1997, but the procedure persists in some communities. The U.S. Government is working with practitioners in the health and legal community to educate groups about the negative
consequences of FGM/C.

Over the years, community advocates have found that when men come to understand the physical and psychological trauma FGM/C causes, they often become effective activists for eradication, including fathers who refuse to allow their
daughters to be subject to the procedure.

Communities must act collectively to abandon the practice, so that girls and their families who opt out do not become social outcasts. This approach has led around 6,000 communities across Africa to abandon the practice, usually
through a public declaration. Communities working together can ensure stronger, healthier futures for girls and young women.

Every government has an obligation to protect its citizens from such abuse. As the world commemorates International Day of Zero Tolerance and remembers those who have been harmed, it reaffirms its commitment to overturning deeply
entrenched social norms and abolishing this practice.

All women and girls, no matter where they are born or what culture they are raised in, deserve the opportunity to realize their potential.

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Posted by Fayyaz Yaseen on Feb 7 2012. Filed under World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry