Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is widely practiced throughout 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, although the World Health Organization (WHO) considers the highly dangerous procedure a violation of human rights. During the pandemic, FGM cases skyrocketed to an all-time high in Hargeisa and Somaliland’s second-largest city, Burco.
FGM procedures are normally performed by unlicensed medical professionals in Somaliland. Using a razor blade and an anesthetic syringe, “female cutters” typically remove the external parts of a young girl’s genital area.
According to the WHO, more than 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone FGM.
https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-lifestyle-religion-africa-e382d9893b7b8c02901c3a3177634c46
There are no health benefits for women and girls to undergo the dangerous procedure. FGM can lead to complications such as severe bleeding, problems urinating and the development of cysts. Additionally, the practice has been known to cause infections, as well as complications in childbirth and increased risk of newborn deaths.