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The Medicalisation of FGM: Who are 28 Too Many?

Learn about the extreme form of gender-based violence that affects millions of women and girls worldwide. Understand the harmful effects of FGM and why medicalisation is not a solution. Take action to end this human rights violation.

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The Medicalisation of FGM: Who are 28 Too Many?

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  1. The Medicalisation of FGM {Insert name of presenter here}

  2. WHO ARE 28 TOO MANY? www.28TooMany.org | info@28TooMany.org

  3. WHAT IS FGM? • An extreme form of gender-based violence that affects at least 200 million women and girls worldwide • Partial or total removal of the external female genitals or other injury to the genitals for non-medical reasons • Four main types of FGM are recognised by the World Health Organisation

  4. WHAT IS FGM?

  5. FGM can cause: Severe pain Haemorrhage/bleeding Infection Shock Death FGM increases the risk of: Infertility Miscarriage Obstructed labour Child and maternal mortality  FGM can also cause: Fistula and incontinence Painful menstruation Difficulty passing urine/menstrual blood Urinary tract infections Psychologically FGM causes: Depression Anxiety, PTSD and flashbacks, Sex and relationship problems Longer term FGM can lead to: Tissue scarring Cysts Difficult and painful sexual intercourse

  6. WHAT IS THE MEDICALISATION OF FGM?

  7. Replacing severe forms of FGM with more symbolic types of cutting Providing access to medical equipment or training Transporting girls to health facilities overseas Healthcare providers performing FGM on girls or women THE MEDICALISATION OF FGM Girls or women having FGM performed in a healthcare facility Procedures to re-establish FGM after women have given birth (known as reinfibulation)

  8. WHYMEDICALISATION? • Education about FGM highlights the harm FGM causes women and girls. • Rather than stopping the practice, some people have instead sought to change it to make it less painful and dangerous. • All FGM causes negative outcomes and medicalisation is never an appropriate solution.

  9. MEDICALISEDFGM IS HARMFUL A form of child abuse It is a threat to the health and wellbeing of women and girls It is medical malpractice It is a human rights violation It is absent of informed consent

  10. “FGM changes lives. It changed mine when I was six years old and causes lifelong pain and difficulty whether or not it is medicalised. We must end all FGM.” Hibo Wardere Author and FGM Survivor

  11. TACKLING MEDICALISATION • Professional health bodies and organisations should develop robust guidance and training for healthcare providers about medicalised FGM, ensuring all practitioners understand that medicalised FGM is medical malpractice. • Governments must ensure legislation, policies and national anti-FGM campaigns confirm zero tolerance to all FGM including medicalisation. Medical professionals who perform FGM should be held accountable. • NGOs must give clear messages that all FGM is wrong, that medicalisation is not a solution and support local efforts to end the practice. • Media reporting on FGM should support messages against medicalised FGM.

  12. International NGO “The Girl Generation” include messages addressing the medicalisation of FGM in their anti-FGM campaign.

  13. WHAT CAN YOU DO? • Read the 28 Too Many report “The Medicalisation of FGM” • Talk to people about FGM, including medicalisation • If you are a doctor, nurse or midwife do not support medicalised FGM, protect girls at risk and provide support and care to survivors • If you are a healthcare provider, ensure preventing and responding to medicalised FGM is embedded throughout your organisation’s policies and training

  14. THANK YOU! www.28TooMany.org

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