International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation: Quotes, Wishes, Messages, Images, Date, and More

How did you feel when your finger was accidentally injured while chopping vegetables? It hurt, did it? Imagine a situation where someone's private parts are mutilated. Ahh! We get that. The thought itself is draining energy. Let's share about a similar practice where genital parts are removed for religious and social reasons. The UN general assembly has declared a special day to end such practices, and it is termed as "International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation". 

History of International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 

Female genital mutilation(FGM) has been in practice for more than 40 decades in communities with belief systems that encourage non-medical operation on private parts for social, political and cultural reasons. In the year 2012, the UN general assembly declared 6 February as International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation for promotion of knowledge and elimination of FGM. 

Significance of International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 

The significance of the day is to completely eradicate FGM, erase harmful religious practices and promote individuals' human rights through knowledge transfer and awareness events. 

International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 2023 Date

• When is International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 2023?

International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation for the year 2023 is celebrated/observed on Monday, 6 February.

• International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation dates for the years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026

International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation Quotes, Wishes and Messages

• I know what I am fighting for. I am fighting for the most basic rights of innocent children. And that is why I never take the criticism too deep under my skin—Waris Dirie
• Women's loyalty has to be earned with trust and affection, rather than barbaric rituals. The time has come to leave the old ways of suffering behind—Waris Dirie
• I always knew, from the very day of my own mutilation, that I would one day fight against this practice. I did not know how and when, but I knew that I would fight it—Waris Dirie
• Self-denial is simply a method by which arrests his progress, and self-sacrifice a survival of the mutilation of the savage—Oscar Wilde
• Female genital mutilation targets little girls, baby girls - fragile angels who are helpless, who cannot fight back. It's a crime against a child, a crime against humanity. It's abuse. It's absolutely criminal and we have to stop it—Waris Dirie
• Give love and share happiness with the people around you, and never give up fighting for what you believe in—Waris Dirie
• When the body escaped mutilation, seldom did the heart go to the grave unscarred—Virginia Woolf
• We should not be followers of traditions that go against human rights...we are human beings and we make traditions—Malal Yousafzai

What is Female Genital Mutilation?

A method used to completely or partially mutilate female external genitals is known as Female genital mutilation. This is performed as a part of a tradition in backward communities. 

Where is Female Genital Mutilation Performed?

As per the UN, such traditions exist in sub-Saharan Africa, Arab states and parts of Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America as a tradition in indigenous communities. 

Who performs Female Genital Mutilation?

FGM is a traditional practice that is usually performed by traditional circumcisers, cutters, elder members of the community, female family members or health care professionals. The health care professionals may not necessarily be females. The individuals, except for the medical practitioners who perform Female genital mutilations, do not have medical training but perform for non-medical reasons without anaesthesia.

How is Female Genital Mutilation Performed?

It is usually performed for a group of girls on the same day by the assigned individuals. It is performed using knives, scissors, scalpels, pieces of glass or razor blades. With the growing identification and development of indigenous groups, the practice is being performed secretly. 

Earlier, as it was performed in groups, unsterilized instruments were part of the act. 

Why is Female Genital Mutilation Performed?

The communities follow the belief system and perform FGM for the protection of virginity until marriage and to prevent women from participating in extramarital affairs. Women are considered clean and feminine after the ritual.

Types of Female Genital Mutilation

World Health Organization (WHO) has classified four types of FGM based on organ removal.

1. Type 1 FGM - This type 1 is complete removal of the clitoris(Clitoridectomy). 
2. Type 2 FGM - This type involves partial or complete removal of the clitoris along with labia minora. Labia majora need not necessarily be removed(excision). 
3. Type 3 FGM - This type is the sewing of the edges of the vagina to prevent sexual intercourse(infibulation).  
4. Type 4 FGM - This type includes all kinds of injury caused on external genitalia, such as pricking, piercing for non-medical reasons and performed as a part of traditions. 

Effects of Female Genital Mutilation

Female genital mutilation is performed for non-medical reasons, and therefore it only harms the girls. It is performed on all age groups. Infants and girls are victims because of their religious beliefs. It is performed on adults post-childbirth to prevent extramarital affairs. Every female on whom FGM is performed will have immediate as well as long term effects. Also, no anaesthetics were used at the time of FGM. Immediate effects on genitals include severe pain, haemorrhage, fever, infections, swelling, urinary problems.

Long-term effects on the body include urinary, vaginal, menstrual problems, and severe pain during sexual intercourse and childbirth. In some cases, further surgeries may be performed to heal from the infections and other medical conditions related to private parts. Cases of death have also been reported because of the harmful effects of the tradition. There is a high risk for the spread of dangerous diseases like HIV through the reused surgical instruments on different women. As the act is performed against the wish of women, they are prone to psychological effects such as depression, loss of trust and low self-esteem.

Solutions to Female Genital Mutilation

With a mission to eliminate FGM, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in Article 18.3; UNESCO, 2001 and Article 4 have included the below.

The right to participate in cultural life and freedom of religion is protected by international law. However, international law stipulates that freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs might be subject to limitations necessary to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of others. Therefore, social and cultural claims cannot be evoked to justify female genital mutilation.

Along with the above, we can save women from the pit of patriarchy by below implementations.

• Education: Everyone irrespective of gender must be educated with the pros and cons of the practice, which not only helps in building FGM Free communities but also empowers women to be confident and stand up for themselves. 
• The religious leaders must be made aware of the consequences and counselled for preaching the nonpractice of FGM. As leaders have the power to influence the groups, the achievement of cruelty-free and patriarchy free societies becomes much easier.  

In 2007, UNFPA and UNICEF together introduced a Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting to accelerate the abandonment of the practice.

In 2008, WHO and nine other United Nations partners passed a statement on the elimination of FGM "Eliminating female genital mutilation: an interagency statement". This statement has collected shreds of evidence over the previous decade of the practice of FGM.

In 2010, WHO released a "Global strategy to stop health care providers from performing female genital mutilation" in alliance with other key UN agencies and international organizations. WHO urges countries to implement this strategy.

How is International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation Celebrated? 

The day is carried out with various promotional events for the elimination of Female genital mutilation. The promotional events are carried out all over the globe, which includes campaigns, talk shows and the spread of social media posts. 

Some Interesting Facts

1. There are no health benefits either for women or society because of FGM.
2. As per the statistics of the World health organization(WHO), the cost involved in the treatment of health complications caused by FGM is 1.4billion in USD. This cost incurred was for the treatment of victims from 27 countries where FGM is prevalent. 
3. As per the statistics of the FAWCO organization, FGM is practised in every continent except Antarctica. FAWCO is an organization that supports and fosters girls and women development.
4. FGM is against the human rights of women.
5. The WHO analysis of FGM states that FGM is mostly carried on girls between the age of months old to 15 years old. 
6. Deinfibulation is a process of unsealing the vagina, which was sealed at the time of infibulation. 
7. Refibulation is known to be a practice of closing the reopened vaginal seal after child delivery.

Every individual, whether educated or not, must know and understand the reasons before following traditions. It helps in curbing blind faith and the application of valid and necessary rituals. Also, children must be encouraged and supported to stand up for themselves and reject harmful or uncomfortable requests.