More than 200 million girls and women alive today have been victims of female genital mutilation, according to United Nations estimates. On the occasion of the International Day of Zero Tolerance with Female Genital Mutilation, the NGO ‘World vision’ has highlighted the violation of fundamental rights that this practice supposes for girls and adolescents. Among these, the rights to sexual and reproductive health, physical integrity and, in the most serious cases, to life itself.
In a statement, the NGO has reaffirmed its commitment to defend the fundamental rights of girls and women, and has valued community awareness projects, such as those it develops in Senegal. Its objective is to sensitize families and community leaders about the risks that this practice poses for girls and provide other sources of income for the women who work in it.
A problem aggravated by the coronavirus
For its part, the NGO ‘Plan International’ has warned that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased number of girls at risk of female genital mutilationas a result of lockdowns, school closures and the interruption of community services.
To the 68 million girls who, according to the United Nations Population Fund (Unfpa), will suffer this mutilation between 2015 and 2030, two million more can be added because of the coronavirus. Poverty and war are other causes that promote the phenomenon.
Concha López, director general of Plan International, lamented that “Millions of girls and women in the world live with the consequences of female genital mutilation, and many more are in danger of undergoing this practice in the coming years.
“Today, more than ever, we must maintain a policy of zero tolerance with this practice and work to raise awareness and education to advance in a generational change that prevents mothers, fathers and communities from perpetuating these practices”, he defended.
Source: Lasexta
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
