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Fatwas, faith and fallacies: Myth-busting female genital mutilation in Africa

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“Deep down, I knew what I had experienced was not something any girl should go through,” she emphasised. 

FGM was once considered an unavoidable rite of passage for young girls in the Mara region of the United Republic of Tanzania, but communities are making inroads.

Busting the myth

More than 230 million girls and women have been subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM) and are living with the deep, lasting and often life-threatening physical and mental consequences of it despite efforts to eradicate the horrific practice. 

In 2026, nearly 4.5 million girls are at risk of undergoing the procedure. 

One of the reasons FGM remains so entrenched is the false notion that foreign influence is driving efforts to abandon it. 

Ahead of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, observed on 6 February, we’re busting this myth. 

‘Survivor leadership is changing my community’

When Ms. Albert joined a community dialogue supported by the UN agency, she heard other survivors openly sharing their experiences.

Olivia Albert leads a youth advocacy group in the Mara region of the United Republic of Tanzania

“When girls hear from someone who has lived through this, they listen differently,” she said.

“They find courage. Survivor leadership is changing my community. We cannot erase the past, but we can make sure the next girl grows up without fear and together, we will make that happen.”

Calling out misinterpretation

Religious leaders are also calling out misinterpretation, including Imam Ousmane Yabara Camara, a known and respected figure in Guinea’s Kindia prefecture. 

“Female genital mutilation is not a prescription of Islam,” he said. “Too many girls suffer from the severe health consequences of this practice. We must put an end to it.”

He suggested that the subject be brought into education to better help future generations live without FGM.

Today, thousands of children hear about it in schools that increasingly teach comprehensive sexuality education.

In Guinea’s Kindia prefecture, Imam Ousmane Yabara Camara is a known and respected figure, and one who has chosen to use his platform at the service of his community’s women and girls. .

New laws are turning the tide

In many countries where female genital mutilation is deeply entrenched, new legislation is slowly turning the tide.

In Djibouti, Eritrea and Somalia, Islamic scholars issued a national fatwa in 2025 stating that there are no religious grounds to justify FGM. 

“In our neighbourhoods, we now have two powerful shields: the Constitution and the fatwa,” said activist Nafissa Mahamoud Mouhoumed from Djibouti. 

“While the law reminds people of the legal consequences, the fatwa removes the religious excuse that was used for generations to justify FGM. This dual victory gives us, the activists on the ground, the ultimate confidence to talk to families and say ‘your faith and your country both protect your daughter.’”

Engaging men and boys 

In Ethiopia, three quarters of women and girls aged 15 to 49 have undergone some form of FGM. 

“We sat helplessly for years, watching women suffer through childbirth complications, sometimes losing both mother and baby,” recalled local district chief Mitiku Gunte. “We knew something was wrong, but we didn’t understand what or how to stop it.”

Mr. Mitiku is now an advocate with a joint programme led by UNFPA and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which together with the local administration engages hundreds of men and boys in the fight against the practice.

Through dialogues tailored for different segments of society – elder men, young unmarried men, women and youth – members of the community go door-to-door to speak to each group about their specific concerns and influences.

No medical justification for FGM

When carried out by a healthcare provider, FGM is often described as “medicalised”, but even with a professional present and sanitised equipment available, it is neither safe nor necessary, and there is never any medical justification for it.

In Ethiopia’s Hadiya Zone, a local elder leads a weekly information and discussion session on harmful practices.

“I often receive cases after the damage has already been done, with serious complications,” Dr. Maram Mahmoud, a family doctor in upper Egypt.

“I honestly didn’t expect this to have such an impact on my perspective, but now I better understand the different mindsets of those considering it, and I feel more confident in guiding them and explaining the serious harms, risks and consequences.”

Find out more about how UNFPA is helping to eradicate FGM here.

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One in four female genital mutilation cases now carried out by health workers

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While the health sector worldwide plays a key role in stopping the abusive practice of FGM and supporting survivors, in several regions, evidence suggests otherwise.

As of 2020, an estimated 52 million girls and women were subjected to FGM at the hands of health workers – that’s around one in four cases.

“Health workers must be agents for change rather than perpetrators of this harmful practice,” said Dr Pascale Allotey, WHO’s Director for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research.

She insisted that cutting is a “severe violation of girls’ rights” which critically endangers their health.

Evidence has shown that FGM causes harm, regardless of who performs it – but  it can be more dangerous when performed by health workers, as a “medicalised” procedure can result in more severe wounds, WHO warned in a statement on Monday.  

As part of ongoing efforts to halt the practice altogether, the UN agency issued new guidelines urging greater action from doctors, governments, and local communities.

FGM in retreat

Cutting – which encompasses any procedure that removes or injures parts of the female genitalia for non-medical reasons – also requires high-quality medical care for those suffering its effects, WHO says.

Since 1990, the likelihood of a girl undergoing genital mutilation has dropped threefold, but 30 countries still practise it, putting four million girls each year at risk.

FGM can lead to short and long-term health issues, from mental health conditions to obstetric risks and sometimes the need for surgical repairs.

The newly published guidelines from WHO also suggest ways to improve care for survivors at different stages in their lives.

‘Opinion leaders’

Putting an end to the practice is within the realm of the possible – and some countries are heading in that direction, the UN health agency said.

“Research shows that health workers can be influential opinion leaders in changing attitudes on FGM, and play a crucial role in its prevention,” said Christina Pallitto, a senior author of the study at Scientist at WHO and the Human Reproduction Programme (HRP).

“Engaging doctors, nurses and midwives should be a key element in FGM prevention and response, as countries seek to end the practice and protect the health of women and girls,” she said.

Unrelenting efforts to stop FGM have led countries including Burkina Faso to reduce rates among 15 to 19-year-olds by 50 per cent in the past three decades.

Likewise, prevalence fell by 35 per cent in Sierra Leone and 30 per cent in Ethiopia – thanks to action and political will to enforce bans and accelerate prevention.

WHO in 2022 published a prevention training package for primary care health workers, to highlight the risks of the practice and equip them to engage sensitively with communities, while factoring in local culture and perspectives.

“Because of this training, I am now able to raise women’s awareness [of FGM] and persuade them about the… disadvantages,” said one health worker during the launch. 

Welfare of Transgenders taken up

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The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has constituted an Inter Ministerial Committee to pursue implementation of the Expert Committee’s recommendations. So far, four Inter Ministerial Committee meetings have been held.

The Registrar General of India (RGI), during Enumeration of Census 2011, for the first time provided three codes i.e. Male-1, Female –2 and others -3 for enumeration. This was at the discretion of the respondent. In case the respondent wished to record neither ‘1’ nor ‘2’, then enumerator was instructed to record sex as ‘other’ and give code ‘3’. Still, it is important to note that the Census on India does not collect any data specifically on ‘transgender’. Thus, the category of ‘other’ would not only include ‘transgender’ but also any person who desires to record sex under the category of ‘other’. It is also possible that some transgenders would have returned themselves either male or female depending upon their choice. The population of ‘other’ as per Census 2011 is 4,87,803.

The Bill titled “The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016” was introduced by the Ministry in the Lok Sabha on 2.8.2016. The Bill was referred to the Lok Sabha Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment for examination and report. The Committee has submitted its report on 21.07.2017.

The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) has informed that they are providing employment opportunities to 23 transgenders who work alongside the Kudumbashree women in customer service operations.

This information was given by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Vijay Sampla in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.