Is FGM legal in Africa?

FGM was illegal in 22 of the 28 most FGM-prevalent countries in Africa in September 2018.

What culture believes in FGM?

Despite the absence of scriptural support, women and girls within Christian communities, including in Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania, do undergo FGM. It has been found among Coptic Christians in Egypt, Orthodox Christians in Ethiopia, and Protestants and Catholics in Sudan and Kenya.

Which countries still practice female circumcision?

FGM is practiced in 31 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. It’s most prevalent in Djibouti, Egypt, Guinea, and Mali, where 90\% or more of women aged 15 to 49 have been subjected to FGM.

Is female circumcision legal in the US?

It is against U.S. law to perform FGM/C on a girl under the age of 18, or to send or attempt to send her outside the United States so FGM/C can be performed. Violation of the law is punishable by up to 5 years in prison, fines, or both. There is no exception for performing FGM/C because of tradition or culture.

Is FGM still practiced in Egypt?

FGM in Egypt Female genital mutilation (FGM) is still widespread – but increasingly condemned – throughout much of North and East Africa. However, the recent history of the practice in Egypt presents special challenges for those trying to end it.

Where is female circumcision allowed?

– Countries where the practice is near universal include Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Egypt, Sierra Leone, Mali and Guinea. – There are several types of FGM. The ritual usually involves the partial or total removal of the external genitalia including the clitoris.

What countries ban FGM?

As of 2013, according to a UNICEF report, 24 African countries have legislations or decrees against FGM/C practice; these countries are: Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria (since 2015).

What countries still perform female circumcision?

Which country has the highest rate of FGM?

Somalia
A number of Switzerland’s priority countries and regions in East Africa are affected by this problem. “Somalia, for example, has the highest rate of FGM in the world, with around 98 per cent of women having undergone the procedure,” explains Martine Pochon, regional protection adviser for the Greater Horn of Africa.