International Day Against Female Genital Mutilation

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International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation is an international day of action celebrated annually on February 6 . It is intended to draw attention to the fate of women and girls who have been subjected to genital mutilation or who are threatened by it.

The day was proclaimed in 2003 by Stella Obasanjo , then First Lady of Nigeria . The day was declared an international day of remembrance by the UN Human Rights Commission in 2012 .

Percent of 0 to 14 year olds with genital mutilation
Percent of 15 to 49 year olds with genital mutilation

The exact number of those affected is unknown. UNICEF compiled some figures in 2016 and published them in a separate brochure. The basis was a data collection tool specially developed by UNICEF , called Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS). The number of countries working with UNICEF and providing representative data is increasing. Based on the evaluated data, UNICEF assumes that at least 200 million people are affected in 30 countries worldwide, including 44 million girls under the age of 15. More than half of those affected live in three countries ( Indonesia , Egypt and Ethiopia ). A total of 21 countries are involved in female genital mutilation in the 0-14 age group and 29 countries in the 15-49 age group. A majority of countries reporting data considered this practice worthy of ending, by 67 percent of women and 63 percent of men. Since 2014, UNICEF has maintained a separate website entitled No Time To Lose with figures including to genital mutilation.

On February 6, 2018, the Federal Agency for Civic Education drew attention to the day of remembrance and announced that the World Health Organization (WHO) also assumes that more than 200 million women and girls are circumcised worldwide. In addition, three million girls are at risk of being circumcised each year.

The human rights organization Terre des Femmes estimates that "150 million women and girls worldwide have had their genitals mutilated". On the basis of projections , Terre des Femmes publishes current figures for those at risk and those affected in Germany every year.

The Federal Working Group of Municipal Women's and Equal Opportunities Officers relies on estimates by Terre des Femmes , according to which around 23,000 women and girls live in Germany who have been victims of genital mutilation or are threatened by it.

Although the practice of female genital cutting has existed for over a thousand years, WHO sees a chance that it could end within a generation. On the other hand, by 2030, 68 million girls worldwide would be at risk of having their genitals cut, according to the United Nations (UN). They call for an end to female genital mutilation by 2030.

The UN provides information on female genital mutilation on a separate website ( United Nations Population Fund ) and in February 2019 described five neglected aspects of this practice:

  1. It appears in numerous variants.
  2. It is created and perpetuated by gender inequality .
  3. It's not an "over there" problem.
  4. It is neither safe nor free from serious health risks.
  5. It is possible to abolish them.

The practices of genital mutilation were described, among others, by the human rights activist and author Waris Dirie in her autobiographical novel, which was later filmed under the title of the same name ( Desert Flower ) .

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  1. ↑ Binta Bah: Zero Tolerance to FGM Means FGM Should Not Be Tolerated . In: The Daily News . 22 February 2012 (English, archive.org [accessed 21 January 2020]).
  2. ^ a b Promoting health through the life course. International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation. In: WHO. Retrieved January 22, 2020 (English).
  3. ↑ United Nations (ed.): Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 20 December 2012. 67/146. Intensifying global efforts for the elimination of female genital mutilations . Sixty seventh session. Agenda item 28 (a). March 5, 2013 (English, undocs.org [PDF; 5 kB ; accessed January 22, 2020]).
  4. ↑ a b c UNICEF (ed.): Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Global Concern . 2016 (English, unicef.org [PDF; 233 kB ; accessed January 22, 2020]).
  5. ↑ No Time To Lose on Child Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting. In: UNICEF Data: Monitoring the situation of children and women. 2014, retrieved January 22, 2020 .
  6. ↑ February 6: International Day against Female Genital Mutilation. In: Federal Agency for Civic Education . February 6, 2018, retrieved January 21, 2020 .
  7. ↑ Female genital mutilation. Background information on February 6th: "International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation". In: Terre des Femmes . Retrieved January 21, 2020 .
  8. ↑ Days of action. February 6: International Day against Female Genital Mutilation. In: Federal Working Group of Municipal Women and Equal Opportunities Officers. Retrieved January 21, 2020 .
  9. ↑ International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, 6 February. In: United Nations. Retrieved January 22, 2020 (English).
  10. ↑ Female genital mutilation. In: United Nations Population Fund. Retrieved January 22, 2020 (English).
  11. ↑ Top 5 things you didn't know about female genital mutilation. In: United Nations Population Fund. 5 February 2019, retrieved 22 January 2020 (English).
  12. ↑ Waris Dirie with Cathleen Miller: Desert Flower . Knaur-Taschenbuch-Verlag, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-426-77978-1 (English: Desert flower . Translated by Bernhard Jendricke).