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Zeinaba Mahr Aouad, a 24-year-old from Djibouti, vividly recalls a harrowing experience from her childhood. At the age of ten, a visitor arrived unexpectedly at her home, armed with a syringe, a razor blade, and bandages.
This individual was there to perform female genital mutilation (FGM), a brutal procedure that has been illegal in Djibouti since 1995. This harmful practice involves the cutting away of a girl’s clitoris and the sewing of her vagina.
Even though the trauma of that day has left a shadow over her memories, Zeinaba distinctly remembers the excruciating pain that followed once the anaesthetic effects faded.
Struggles Post-Procedure
“Walking became difficult, and urinating felt like a burning sensation,” she recalled.
Her mother reassured her, downplaying the ordeal and framing it within the context of cultural traditions.
Coming from a financially struggling single-parent household, Zeinaba lived in a modest room with her mother and two sisters in a dilapidated area of Djibouti City.
“We had only a television, some suitcases for our clothes, and mattresses to sleep on,” she shared.
Her mother supported the family by selling flatbread, while Zeinaba spent her childhood playing in the dirt and skipping rope with friends.
The Global Impact of FGM
According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), an estimated 230 million women and girls globally have been subjected to FGM. Alarmingly, the number of affected individuals continues to rise, with younger girls, some just under five years old, being increasingly targeted.
Dr. Wisal Ahmed, a specialist in FGM with UNFPA, explained, “Infants are particularly vulnerable because they cannot voice their pain.”
FGM is often perceived as a singular event, but its implications can extend throughout a woman’s life, involving repeated painful procedures. “Women may undergo re-cutting to engage in sexual activity, face re-stitching after childbirth, and then be altered again for social norms,” Dr. Ahmed elaborated.
Combating Harmful Practices
UNFPA, along with various global partners, has made strides to eliminate FGM practices. While their efforts have contributed to a general decline in FGM rates over the last three decades, population growth has led to an increasing number of women affected.
The agency is focused on educating communities about the adverse short- and long-term effects of FGM.
International support, particularly from the U.S. government, has reinforced this agenda, recognizing FGM as a violation of human rights.
The problem is not confined to underdeveloped nations; in the United States, approximately 513,000 women and girls are reported as having undergone or are at risk for FGM, according to U.S. State Department figures.
Community Involvement
In 2023, the U.S. contributed around $44 million in foreign aid programs aimed at combating FGM in Djibouti.
UNFPA indicated that its FGM-related initiatives backed by U.S. funding remain unaffected by current interruptions in work orders, noting that support has helped protect around 80,000 girls from undergoing FGM in the last four years.
Local Advocacy Efforts
Zeinaba now dedicates her time to volunteer efforts with a local network established by UNFPA in 2021, which consists of over 60 women supporting local health and rights advocates. She also actively engages with underprivileged communities across Djibouti to educate both young people and parents, highlighting the harmful ramifications of FGM.
“It’s crucial to involve men in this dialogue,” she emphasized. “The practice cannot continue without their consent.”
Source
news.un.org