Global FGM statistics 'underestimated'

Ms Zineb Sajid from University of West London, with girls at One More Day for Children (OMDC) safe house at Doldol township in Laikipia North Sub-County. OMDC is a safe haven for girls rescued from FGM, early marriages and other oppressive cultural practices. 

The number of women and girls affected by female genital mutilation (FGM) may have been underestimated, a latest report on the vice implies.

At least 92 countries against 31, practice FGM and this is where United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) draws the 200 million statistics of women and girls subjected to the cut. This is according to the 2020 Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Call for a Global report by Equality Now.

“This figure only includes countries where there is available data from large-scale representative surveys, which consist of 27 countries from the African continent, as well as Iraq, Yemen, the Maldives and Indonesia,” reads a section of report in reference to UNICEF statistics.

“The current, already worrying numbers are a woeful under-representation since they do not take into account numerous countries where nationwide data on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting prevalence is not available,"

It notes that women and girls undergo FGM in every continent except Antarctica. The practice occurs in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, Europe and North America, among indigenous and diaspora communities.

The researchers relied on digital information available to the public to conclude that the figures were an incomplete reflection of global FGM status. The online information is from national surveys, small scale studies, indirect estimates, media reports and anecdotal evidence with latest updates done in January.

Specific anti-FGM law

Of the 92 countries whose data was analysed, only 51 have prohibited the cut under their national laws, either through a specific anti-FGM law, or a criminal provision in other domestic laws such as the criminal or penal code, child protection laws, violence against women laws or domestic violence laws

Only five countries have specific anti-FGM laws. They include Kenya, Uganda, Benin, Eritrea and Guinea-Bissau.

Prevalence of FGM in Eritrea among the age15- 49 women and girls stands at 83 per cent, Guinea-Bissau (44.9 per cent), Kenya (21 per cent), Benin (9.2 per cent) and Uganda (0.3 per cent).

While Somalia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Yemen, The Maldives and Indonesia have no legislation that specifically address FGM.

Of worry is that these countries have high rates of women and girls aged between 0 and 49 years who have been cut.

It is 97.9 per cent for the 15-49 years in Somali followed by Mali at 88.6 per cent and Sierra Leone with 86.1 per cent.

In Liberia it is 44.4 per cent, Yemen (18.5 per cent and The Maldives (12.9 per cent).

In Indonesia, the report shows that 49.2 per cent of girls between 0 to 11 years have undergone FGM.

In 20 countries, other legislation such as the penal code and child protection laws provide for the ban.

Guinea, Djibouti, Egypt, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Tanzania are among the countries whose percentage of women and girls aged 15-49, who have undergone, FGM range between 94.5 per cent and 10 per cent.

Guinea leads with 94.5 per cent, followed by Djibouti (94 per cent) and Egypt (87.2 per cent).

At 86.6 per cent, Sudan is ranked among the countries with highest prevalence rates, similar to Burkina Faso (75.8 per cent) and Ethiopia (65.2 per cent).Tanzania has a 10 per cent prevalence rate.

To eliminate the vice, the researchers recommend urgent increase of resources and investments in anti-FGM fight. They also call for support for survivors to improve their well-being.