Female genital mutilation has increased worldwide, including in Switzerland. Aid deliveries by sea to Gaza will begin this weekend

Infections, psychological problems, infertility, complications during childbirth, severe pain when urinating or having sex – these are just some of the consequences that women suffer from being circumcised as babies or girls. This means: if parts of the clitoris and/or labia are removed or the vaginal opening is sewn shut.

This practice, which has its roots in tradition and is fatal in 25 percent of cases, still occurs worldwide. Not only, but especially on the African continent.

To mark International Women’s Day, the UN Children’s Fund Unicef ​​conducted a new global estimate of genital mutilation for the first time since 2016. The result: the number of women and girls affected has increased by 30 million worldwide. An increase of 15 percent in eight years. “Most affected girls and women (144 million) live in African countries, followed by 80 million in Asia and six million in the Middle East,” UNICEF wrote.

Therefore, the number of those affected has increased

Simone Giger is prevention project manager at the “Network against Female Genital Mutilation Switzerland”. The network is supported by the federal government and, among other things, manages a contact point for those affected. Giger is not shocked by the latest figures from Unicef. “Unfortunately,” she says to Watson. “The practice is not increasing globally, but population growth is above average in regions where female and female circumcision is practiced.” The number of those affected increased accordingly.

However, what also plays a role is the political and economic instability in the ‘prevalence countries’, as Giger calls the countries where the number of affected girls and women is high. “We know from the past that the weakest in a society are the first to suffer when there is war, hardship or other instability in their region. And unfortunately, the weakest are mainly girls and women.”

During the corona pandemic, prevention work in countries with a high prevalence also came to a standstill. It has long been clear that the UN will not achieve its goal of ‘eliminating’ female genital mutilation by 2030.

From Giger’s point of view, however, this goal was very ambitious from the start. Taking action against female genital mutilation is a multi-generational project. A process that takes a lot of time. For many, the practice is an important and identity-building tradition. “Even for some people living in Switzerland,” says Giger.

Switzerland: “Law article was an important step”

In this country, approximately 22,000 girls and women are affected or at risk of female genital mutilation. Increasing trend. “The increase in the number of affected and threatened people is also due to the increase in the population of people from practicing countries,” says Giger.

Those who wanted to circumcise their daughters did not do so in Switzerland, but abroad, Giger said. However, these parents cannot escape Swiss law.

Since 2012, there has been a separate article in the law that criminalizes any form of female genital mutilation. Not only anyone who actively performs circumcision is punishable, but also anyone who allows or does not prevent circumcision. Wherever in the world it took place.

“This article of law was a very important step,” says Giger. Many parents who wanted to prevent their daughters from having to be circumcised were also happy with him. They are often under enormous pressure from their families back home. Giger knows this because these parents repeatedly visit her counseling center.

“Their families threaten to expel them from the community or accuse them of things like: ‘If you don’t circumcise your daughter, you’re not a real Muslim.’” Female genital mutilation has nothing to do with religion. The practice is based on a deep, misogynistic worldview, Giger says.

There are also cases where relatives took the circumcision of a girl from Switzerland into their own hands. The parents left their daughter with an uncle during the holidays in their home country to briefly visit friends. When they returned, the daughter had been circumcised. The Swiss law against genital mutilation protects against such situations. Giger adds:

23 cantons with contact points

The Network Against Female Genital Mutilation Switzerland has now supported 23 cantons in setting up medical and counseling services for those affected and at-risk groups. And just in February, a new regional contact point for those affected was launched in the canton of Zurich.

Giger is very happy with this latest development. The most affected and at-risk women and girls in Switzerland live in the canton of Zurich – around 2,900.