Urgent: Stop Medicalized FGM Now and Protect Girls Worldwide

The expanding practice of medicalized female genital mutilation (FGM), in which medical personnel carry out the process under the "guise of safety," has been denounced by Plan International Nigeria, an independent humanitarian non-profit organization.

The group urged for tougher legal action against participating medical professionals and cautioned that this practice jeopardizes attempts to eradicate FGM by 2030.


The organization characterized medicalized FGM as a breach of medical ethics and human rights in a statement released in honor of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM this February.

It called on the Nigerian government to make the practice expressly illegal in national health policy and to police current laws, such as the Child Rights Act and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, more strictly.

According to the statement, which was signed by Jonathan Abakpa, Advocacy and Youth Programme Officer for Plan International Nigeria, over 20 million Nigerian girls have suffered female genital mutilation, making up over 10% of all cases worldwide.

"FGM affects at least 200 million girls globally and is a serious human rights violation. The statement said, "As an organization, we recognize the critical need to align efforts toward ending this harmful practice."

The organization stated that their stance is in line with international agreements including Nigeria's VAPP Act and the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
 

The group advocated for more public awareness efforts to inform people about the risks of female genital mutilation and to offer survivors financial and psychological support.

Collective action, more robust legislation, and persistent advocacy are necessary to eradicate FGM. We call on communities, governments, civil society organizations, and people to stand with us in taking decisive action to end this detrimental practice.

"The VAPP Act and the Child Rights Act, among other laws that forbid FGM, must be fully implemented and enforced by governments at all levels," the statement continued.

The group also urged states that have not yet domesticated the Child Rights Act and the VAPP Act to do so right away. In order to ensure accountability at all levels, it also suggested legal requirements that would make it illegal to fail to report FGM incidents.
 

In addition to legal actions, the group emphasized the importance of providing survivors with all-encompassing psychosocial and financial support, calling on governments and civil society organizations to fund community-led initiatives that offer impacted women and girls access to counseling, healthcare, and opportunities for economic empowerment.

The group advocated for more extensive grassroots awareness initiatives to inform families about the risks of female genital mutilation, acknowledging the influence of traditional and religious leaders on social standards.

Furthermore, it stated: "We demand more financing and capacity-building for law enforcement, social welfare organizations, and civil society groups fighting FGM."
 

According to Plan International Nigeria, FGM still poses a threat to the lives of millions of girls globally, despite international pledges to enhance the legal and policy frameworks against the practice.

Additionally, the organization cautioned that policy announcements by themselves are insufficient and urged all parties involved to give enforcement, community-driven interventions, and survivor-centered support networks top priority.

“Now is the time for bold, sustained action to protect the next generation and accelerate efforts to end FGM by 2030—the time for promises has passed,” the organization said.