(The UN marks February 6 as International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation. FIT is republishing the story to give context and explain why FGM must end)
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a reality. It involves surgically operating on the female genitalia for non-medical reasons. FGM is practised in various parts of the world, in various cultural and religious forms. However, it’s internationally recognised as a violation of the human rights of women.
The United Nations (UN) has declared February 6 as International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation with the aim to end this practice by 2030.
In India, FGM is known to be practised by the Bohra Muslim community, who have a population of just over 1 million.
Masooma Ranalvi is an anti-FGM activist and a Bohra-Muslim, who also underwent one such circumcision when she was just 7 years old. “The practice of FGM is done surreptitiously to all the girl children in our community, without any consent, whatsoever. The alleged reason for this tradition is to curb the sexual drive of women and control them,” says Ranalvi.
Ranalvi runs a campaign called ‘Each One Reach One’, to spread awareness on female genital cutting among Bohras.
Globally, a UN report suggests, at least, 200 million females alive today have undergone some form of FGM. Of these, 44 million are either 14 or younger. FGM causes severe bleeding and health issues including cysts, infections, infertility as well as complications in childbirth such as an increased risk of newborn deaths.
The campaign also seeks to involve the men in the Bohra community, because ‘silence can only be broken when men and women speak together – and to each other.’
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