Leveraging education to end female genital mutilation worldwide
Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a harmful practice experienced by an estimated 200 million women and girls throughout the world today. The practice, which involves the cutting or removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs, has no known health benefits, but many known short- and long- term health consequences. While the age at which girls are cut can vary from infancy to adolescence, most girls are cut between the ages of 5-14.
This whitepaper examines the connections between FGM/C and education and highlights some programs and policies that have been implemented around the world to tackle this human rights violation.
An accompanying policy brief, which lays out some key investments the U.S. can make to tackle FGM/C worldwide can be found here.