In June 2014, the United States Government discovered that American girls were being transported from the U.S. to their parents’ countries of origin for the purpose of undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM). These girls are American citizens and children of immigrant parents. The girls are taken overseas under the pretense that they are going to visit their relatives. They suffer the shock of their lives when they arrive and realize that the purpose of their visit is to undergo FGM.
We have heard some Americans remark, “Why should anyone here in the States care about FGM”. Some feel that it is an “African Problem”; therefore Americans should not be concerned about the practice of FGM. Well, it is indeed an American problem, just as much as it is an Asian, a Middle Eastern, and even a European problem. The United Nations has made FGM its problem; therefore it is a problem of the world. FGM is a human rights violation, child abuse, and a criminal act in the United States, so why should Americans not care about the practice of it?
Female genital mutilation is the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia for non-medical reasons. External genitals include the clitoris, labia, pubis (the fatty tissue over the pubic bone), and the urethral and vaginal openings. In some cases, the degree of cutting is so extensive, it often impairs the girl’s sexual and reproductive functions. As adults, the girls encounter infant and maternal mortalities during childbirth; they experience genital pain during urination and menstruation. Why then should anyone not care?
Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation is committed to the campaign of ending FGM. Join the foundation and other like-minded organizations on October 31, 2015 and show that you do care by walking to help end FGM. In 2014, more than 200 people showed that they care about FGM when they gathered near the Washington Monument to make their voices heard. Everyone had such a great time last year, and the foundation won over more people to care about FGM, that they will have an encore this year to win over even more caring individuals.