International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation

International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation

International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) seeks to raise awareness and advocation for the cessation of this harmful practice, affecting women and girls worldwide. The day provides an avenue to educate people about the dangers of female genital mutilation, highlighting its immediate and long-term physical, psychological, and socio-economic impacts. Significant strides are taken globally to ensure this practice is eradicated, detailing how FGM violates human rights, specifically the rights of women and girls.

In South Africa, although the practice isn't widespread, there is evidence of its occurrence within certain cultural and religious groups. The commemoration of International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation in South Africa seeks to address this issue by amplifying awareness and discourse about the harmful consequences of this practice. This remembrance has roots in a resolution by the UN General Assembly in 2007 that called for a global effort to eliminate female genital mutilation. In response, South Africa, along with all African Union countries, signed the 'Saleema Initiative' in 2008 to protect girls from this harmful tradition.

On the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, South Africa rallies together with other nations to stand against this practice. Various activities including educational workshops, public discussions, and awareness campaigns are held. These events are often spearheaded by various human rights and health organizations, stressing the importance of enforcing existing laws against FGM, advocating for stricter penalties against violators and calling on community elders and religious leaders to renounce the practice. International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation is observed each year on 6th February.

Facts about this United Nations observance

• The theme for International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation in 2024 was No Time for Global Inaction: Unite, Fund, and Act to end FGM. The theme in 2023 was Partnership with Men and Boys to Transform Social and Gender Norms to End Female Genital Mutilation.
• According to the UNICEF In 2024, more than 4.4 million women are at risk of female genital mutilation. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 200 million women and girls worldwide are living with the effects of FGM.
  The practice is concentrated in about 30 countries across Africa, parts of the Middle East, and Asia, but also occurs in other regions due to migration.
• According to the U.N, girls who undergo female genital mutilation can face short-term complications such as severe pain, shock, excessive bleeding, and infection. They may also face long-term complications regarding their sexual and reproductive health.
• FGM can lead to severe health complications and psychological consequences. Immediate risks include pain, infection, hemorrhage, and shock. Long-term risks can include chronic pain, urinary issues, fertility problems, increased risk of obstetric complications, and psychological trauma.
• Despite being legally prohibited, FGM is still practiced in some regions of South Africa, where it is often viewed as a rite of passage for girls entering womanhood.

In the News and Trending in South Africa for International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation

Top things to do in South Africa for this observance

• Traditional values and practices can be harmful especially if those practices carry unnecessary risk. It is believed that older generations are more likely to carry on such traditions despite scientific evidence against them. According to the U.N, adolescent girls aged 15-19 are less supportive of female genital mutilation than women aged 45-49. The U.N recommends investing in youth-led movements to help achieve gender equality and to eliminate violence against women and girls. Learn how you can become involved in their latest campaign Generation Equality.
• Learn more about the health risks of female genital mutilation and how you can help prevent the practice of it.
• Read a book to learn more about FGM:
  Listening to African Voices: Female Circumcision and the Politics of Cultural Survival - by Ellen Gruenbaum
  A Woman's Odyssey Into Africa: Tracks Across a Life - by Harriet Gordon Mandel
• Attend or organizing awareness seminars or workshops: As part of the efforts to educate the public about female genital mutilation, lectures and workshops are commonly held throughout the country.