FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION


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What is FGM?


Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a harmful traditional practice involving the cutting or removal of the external female genitals. It has existed for more than 2,000 years and is performed on girls from birth, up to just before marriage, and sometimes beyond. FGM is also known as 'female circumcision' or 'cutting', and by other terms locally

Based on WHO definitions there are four types of FGM:

Clitoridectomy

Type I: Partial or total removal of the (external) clitoris and/or the prepuce.

Excision

Type II: Partial or total removal of the (external) clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora.

Infibulation

Type III: Narrowing of the vaginal orifice with creation of a covering seal by cutting and appositioning the labia minora and/or the labia majora, with or without excision of the clitoris.

Other harmful procedures

Type IV: All other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, for example: pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterisation.

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