It may surprise you to know how lots of women and girls are suffering in silence at the hands of other women with a cover of tradition.

Violence against women and girls is not just about a man beating a woman, but any form of force that is being exerted on a woman or a girl. Therefore FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) commonly known as a traditional practice, is a violation of the right of women and girls to certain functionalities in their bodies.

Where did God tell women that He made some mistakes and so He will want them to help Him complete the work through FGM?

FGM is dangerous, an act of cruelty, a human right violation, child abuse, and a scam against the original work of the Almighty God. Please don’t fall for it and don’t lure your children into it.

Most times people who are victims may tend to feel offended, shy, or protective against the fact that this practice is really too dangerous.
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FGM has no health benefits, only harm
FGM harms women and girls in many ways. It has no health benefits and will only do further harm.
It involves the removal and damaging of healthy and normal female genital tissue, and interferes with the natural functions of girls and women’s bodies. Although all forms of FGM are associated with an increased risk of health complications, the risk is greater with more severe forms of FGM.
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Immediate complications of FGM can include:

1. Severe pain
2. Excessive bleeding (hemorrhage)
3. Genital tissue swelling
4. Fever
5. Infections e.g., tetanus
6. Urinary problems
7. Wound healing problems
8. Injury to surrounding genital tissue
9. Shock
10. Death.

Long-term complications can include:

1. Urinary problems (painful urination, urinary tract infections);
2. Vaginal problems (discharge, itching, bacterial vaginosis, and other infections);
3. Menstrual problems (painful menstruation, difficulty in passing menstrual blood, etc.);
4. Scar tissue and keloid;
5. Sexual problems (pain during intercourse, decreased satisfaction, etc.);
6. Increased risk of childbirth complications (difficult delivery),
7. Excessive bleeding,
8. Caesarean section, (need to resuscitate the baby, etc.) and
9. Newborn deaths;
   need for later surgeries: for example, the sealing or narrowing of the vaginal opening (Type 3) may lead to the practice of cutting open the sealed vagina later to allow for sexual intercourse and childbirth (deinfibulation2).

Sometimes genital tissue is stitched again several times, including after childbirth, hence the woman goes through repeated opening and closing procedures, further increasing both immediate and long-term risks; psychological problems (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, low self-esteem, etc.);
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Who is at risk?
FGM is mostly carried out on young girls between infancy and adolescence, and occasionally on adult women.
According to available data from 30 countries where FGM is practiced in the Western, Eastern, and North-Eastern regions of Africa, and some countries in the Middle East and Asia, more than 200 million girls and women alive today have been subjected to the practice with more than 3 million girls estimated to be at risk of FGM annually.

FGM is therefore of global concern.
SAY NO TO FGM*
FGM MUST END NOW
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© Channel 7 Campaign