whAT IS IT?
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a ritual cutting or removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines FGM as "piercing, cutting, removing, or sewing closed all or part of a girl's or woman's external genitals for no medical reason." The practice is found in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. According to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), 200 million women are affected by FGM worldwide. FGM is considered in many cultures to be a rite of passage.
SOME FACTS
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types of operations
There are four types of female genital mutilation, each differing by which parts of the vagina are cut.
Type 1 Clitoridectomy
This type consists of partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or its prepuce.
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Type 2Excision
The clitoris and labia minora are partially or totally removed, with or without excision of the labia majora.
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Type 3Infibulation or Pharaonic
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