Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is certainly one of the most heinous practices that still exists today. It’s the 21st century and still, some of the most horrible ways to oppress women are still accepted in several corners of the globe.
Today is the International Day of Zero Tolerance of FGM so I thought I’d share a couple facts with you that can hopefully educate and encourage your activism:
- More than 140 million girls and women have been subjected to FGM
- 3 million girls are at risk of being excised annually
- 86 million girls born in 2010-2015 are at risk of being cut before 2030
- 8000 girls per day are victims of FGM
- 28 countries constitute the majority of FGM practices in Africa including other regions of the world
A lot to take in right? Well it get’s even worse.
The UN has provided us with an FAQ regarding FGM that I found helpful when trying to understand the practice in more depth.
The other day I blogged about Jaha Dukureh, a Gambian anti-FGM activist. In case you missed the post or you’re reading this one first, Jaha is a survivor of both FGM and child marriage herself. She decided, once free, to dedicate the rest of her life towards activism against FGM in particular. Her actions led to the banning of FGM in The Gambia, which got her featured on the Time 100 list. We need more women and men like Jaha, people who are going to stand with us and say #StopTheCut – but it’s more than just a hashtag. The ripple effect just by educating people about FGM can go a long way and I’m so glad that the UN understands the depth of FGM and works towards its global eradication for the rights and progression of women.
I’ll be tweeting a lot today regarding FGM as this is a topic i’m extremely passionate about. Follow @LailaJohnson_ to see what I have to say! I’m also taking over the @iamgoodwoman Instagram story today where i’ll be sharing my thoughts on FGM so check that out too!
lailajs.com 