#infibulation

Pictured above this is a repost from Instagram, their user is @/amagicwor_l_d.

Please read the information in the picture and down below, it’s exceedingly important we try to help these people who’re being harmed.

Infibulation is a dangerous and inhumane procedure that is performed on women all over the world. It is classified as Type III female genitalia mutiliation by The World Health Organization (source: Wikipedia.) Infibulation is defined as “the practice of excising the clitoris and labia of a girl or woman and stitching together the edges of the vulva to prevent sexual intercourse. It is traditional in some northeastern African cultures but is highly controversial” (source: Oxford Dictionary.) This is a practice mainly in northeastern Africa but specifically Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and Djibouti. (Source: Wikipedia.) Female genital mutilation has been made illegal in the UK and it is seen as a form of child abuse. This procedure can have long term effects on women both mentally and emotionally. (Source: daughters of eve) Merriam-Webster defines it as “extreme female genital mutilation involving complete excusion of the clitoris, labia minora, and most of the labia majora followed by stitching to close up most of the vagina.” This sounds exceedingly painful and terrifying to endure, i doubt consent is required for it to be performed on them. This is extremely harmful and should not be allowed to happen. And to anyone who brings up the defense of “it’s their culture” it doesn’t matter, this isn’t a debate. This procedure needs to be banned and stopped. No girl or woman, no person should have to go through this.

Links to sources: (I didn’t include the oxford dictionary one because there isn’t a technical link for it, it’s what pops up first on google when u type in ‘infibulation meaning’)

http://www.dofeve.org/living-with-fgm.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infibulation

THOUGHTSEAL SPECIALS PRESENTS INFIBULATION Female genital mutilation is an issue affecting many women and children throughout the world. The WHO estimated that about 100-140 million women have been subjected to FGM in 28 countries in Africa as well as immigrants in EUROPE, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND and even in the US. We have recently seen a whole lot of buzz on social media for one of them. Most of you would have heard about a rather rare type of surgery with a very odd name. INFIBULATION. It is the practice of excising the clitoris and labia of a girl or woman and stitching together the edges of the vulva to prevent sexual intercourse. It is traditional in some north-eastern African cultures but is highly controversial. Surprisingly, I don’t find it rare at all, because it was a part of their custom since ancient times but people tend to fear the unknown and frown upon that which they do not understand. It is internationally recognized as “A VIOLATION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF GIRLS AND WOMEN.” Firstly because of the ways it is generally done, the tools and equipments used are not sterile and therefore very dangerous to those receiving the procedure. Secondly, women who undergo this are more prone to medical complications throughout their lives. But for those who practice it, it is a custom that is important to their culture and will be practiced regardless of what others think. For a female, having this procedure done is part of her culture and religious identity. While uncircumcised women are seen as “dirty and disloyal to their culture.” For a woman this procedure represents “femininity and modesty.” There are some cases in which young girls who have yet to get the procedure feel so left out from their surroundings that they attempt to perform the procedure on themselves. For a young girl to willingly slice her genitals; it shows how important the procedure is to her and her need to feel accepted into her culture.

Many laws have been created banning these practices with ‘no punishment’ for breaking these laws. It is great that these countries have these laws to protect young girls but it does not solve the problem if the laws are not being properly enforced. What I feel is that the first and the foremost thing required to be done to solve this issue is to change the ideology of females about their acceptance in the society. Females deny the fact that they were infibulated because they believe the procedure is necessary to be accepted by their families. It gives them a sense of pride and community. Traditions are passed from generation to generation and such practices are definitely rooted deep into the minds of young girls and hence they believe it to be started from their ancestors with their great-grandmothers, grandmothers, then their mothers being infibulated too and now it is their time to go through it. If we want to get some accomplishments in the abolishing of the process THE GIRLS HAVE TO BE EDUCATED about their rights and that it is not important for them to go through this much pain merely for being accepted by their husband. There are young girls who never wanted this to happen to them and question their existence every minute. The need of this hour is not laws and punishments, it is to save the girls from harming themselves because they think they can’t fit into the society, because they see their brothers being accepted without going through any of this and regret being who they are. We definitely need to STOP Infibulation and SAVE the girls from getting abused not only physically through the process but also mentally!

this !! we can all do our part in helping to stop infibulation. read about it n act against it. women deserve their autonomy !!