The United Nations has urged the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and all relevant stakeholders to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Somalia boasts of one of the highest FGM rates in the world.
A recent Somali Health and Demographic Survey shows that 99 percent of women and girls in the country aged 15-49 years have undergone FGM.
Anders Thomsen, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative to Somalia, called FGM a “harmful practice that leaves women and girls with lifelong scars.”
Thomsen also reminded Somalis that the practice “endangers the health of girls and women for life.”
Consequently, Thomsen urged the Somali government to pass the zero tolerance legislation on FGM and approve the Sexual Offences Bill (SOB), which criminalizes the practice.
Jesper Moller, the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Deputy Representative to Somalia, also condemned the practice.
Moller said that Somali girls as young as 5 years old are subjected to the practice without being given any choice on the matter.
The UN representatives also mentioned the fact that two out of three women in Somalia are subjected to infibulation or pharaonic, the worst forms of FGM.