United Kingdom — Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting (FGM/C) is the partial or complete removal of female genitalia. It is usually done to girls aged 6 to 15 but can happen to infants as well. Every 12 minutes, a girl dies from complications related to FGM/C. That adds up to 44,320 deaths every year. In countries where FGM/C is common, it is the fourth leading cause of death among girls and women. It kills more than diseases like measles, meningitis, and HIV/AIDS. The United Nations calls this practice “a pandemic of violence” against women.
Survivors of FGM/C suffer lifelong health problems. These include chronic infections, infertility, and severe psychological trauma. FGM/C is closely linked with child marriage and poverty. Together, these practices trap girls in cycles that steal their freedom, education, and chances for economic success. But voices demanding change are growing louder.
Hoda Ali is an activist and nurse who survived FGM/C. She is one of 230 million women worldwide who have been cut. Hoda was only 7 years old when she underwent FGM/C. Now, she fights to end the practice by addressing its root causes. She says the world must work together to tackle the economic and social factors that keep FGM/C alive.
FGM/C, Child Marriage, and Poverty: A Deadly Connection
FGM/C serves a brutal purpose — control. Hoda explains, “FGM/C is done to control girls’ sexuality.” Once a girl is cut, she is seen as ready for marriage. Communities teach girls that cutting makes them clean and suitable for husbands. For Hoda, the practice is all about “marriageability.” It has nothing to do with education or improving a girl’s future.
Money also plays a role. Families receive higher dowries if their daughters are cut. If a girl is not cut, she may not marry or might fetch a lower dowry. Hoda says, “Girls are treated like banks — they bring money to their families.” This leads to a cycle where girls are married off as children and become economically dependent.
“Girls can be cut at 7, married at 12, and pregnant by 13,” Hoda says. Older men often marry these young girls, taking away their agency. Without access to medical care, these girls suffer serious injuries. Husbands force them to have sex, sometimes causing tears between the vagina and bowel. This leads to fistula, incontinence, and deadly infections like sepsis. After causing such harm, many husbands abandon their wives.
The Barrier to Education
FGM/C continues because communities accept it as normal. “Most cutters are women who do this work to feed their families,” Hoda explains. Many cutters have themselves been cut and believe the practice is right. Hoda stresses that these women need new jobs and communities need to learn about the damage caused by FGM/C.
Hoda’s own mother had FGM/C and had her daughters cut too. After Hoda suffered severe health problems, her mother finally understood the true cost of FGM/C. She promised to end it in their family. Sadly, the damage was done — Hoda will never have children. But she focuses on changing the future. “I cannot change what happened to me, but I can change tomorrow,” she says.
The combination of FGM/C, child marriage, and poverty stops many girls from finishing school. They often drop out because of health and emotional trauma. Without education, communities continue to accept FGM/C. Hoda says, “Knowledge is power.” She calls FGM/C what it truly is: abuse. “No one has the right to take away your body or your future. I lost my chance to be a mother and a teenager because of FGM/C. Nobody had that right.”
Voices for Change: Activism and Reform
In Senegal, some women cutters decided to stop the practice but needed new ways to earn money. “They taught themselves to become solar engineers,” Hoda says. Even though many cannot read or write, they learned using colors and hands-on training. Now, these women bring electricity to their villages and teach others to do the same. They did more than stop FGM/C — they brought hope and progress to their communities.
Education happens in many ways. In Kenya and Somalia, simple talks under a tree—like Hoda sharing her story—can change minds. Some girls learn in classrooms. But wherever FGM/C happens, Hoda insists it is everyone’s problem.
In the U.K., FGM/C is illegal. It is against the law to perform FGM/C or take a girl abroad to have it done. But these laws are not enough. Cases have risen by 15% in England. One recent case involved a 16-year-old girl who reported her own mother for taking her to Kenya for FGM/C. The head of the child protection charity Barnardo’s calls for better support and protection. Hoda agrees, saying, “We have laws in the U.K., but we still need education and empowerment.”
The Power of Community: The Maasai Cricket Warriors
In Kenya, a group called the Maasai Cricket Warriors used sports to fight FGM/C. “Through cricket tournaments, the whole community hears messages about ending FGM/C,” Hoda explains. Since then, the Maasai community has seen a 40% drop in FGM/C cases.
Changing cultural beliefs is key. Hoda is clear: “FGM/C is not culture. Culture is our clothes, food, music, and dance. Culture should not harm or kill us.”
The Road Ahead
Ending FGM/C, child marriage, and poverty means breaking their economic roots. Education, financial independence, and legal reforms are crucial. But funding to fight violence against women is limited. Hoda calls on governments and NGOs to invest more in education and to support survivors and grassroots activists.
To girls at risk, Hoda offers a message: “No one can violate your body. Your voice is your strongest weapon. You are not alone.” Every 11 seconds, a girl somewhere in the world faces FGM/C, continuing this painful cycle.
The fight is not over. But with knowledge, activism, better laws, and economic empowerment, there is hope to end these harmful traditions for future generations.
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