FGM Awareness Day - A cultural procedure that creates life-long trauma and damage for women
Globally, 200 million women and girls have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) across 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Despite misconceptions, FGM is a cultural procedure and is not a religious ritual – however, some practitioners use religious text to justify female circumcision in women’s health. 
We caught up with FGM Midwife Renata Hanif who dispels misconceptions and provides education on supporting women who have suffered the aftermath of the harmful practices.
There are four types of FGM. There is the total or partial removal of the clitoris; labia removal, narrowing of the vagina and harmful procedures such as ‘pricking’, ‘piercing’ and ‘pulling’. All types of the practice go onto cause long-term damage that affects menstruation, can cause haemorrhaging, urinary tract infections, mental trauma, pain during sexual intercourse, birthing complications and can go onto have a long-term impact on the health of a baby.
Renata said: “This practice has been ingrained into the culture of regions, often in rural communities where healthcare is less informed. Healthcare across these communities see it as a part of their income and are willing to do this as a financial incentive, despite it being a serious human rights violation. Medically, there are no benefits to FGM – it actually costs the UK £100 million every year in supporting women with the essential procedures needed to prevent further damage, especially if a woman becomes pregnant.
“Female circumcision is an act of violence used to control girls and women – impeding their ability to have and enjoy sex and women are also shamed for not having undergone the procedure. They may be branded as impure or unmarriable.”
Our midwives are trained to spot the signs of female circumcision and support women through procedures such as deinfibulation – as process to widen the vagina, remove pain and reduce chances of infection. Often, FGM occurs from birth or between the ages of 5-12 years old which is why women who receive support with us do not recognise that this is a violation of their human rights. Our midwives, like Renata, are trained to provide education, emotional and mental health support to help women through an incredibly difficult time in their lives when they attend their antenatal appointments or seek medical assistance.
Renata said: “Babies of our mothers who have undergone FGM are added to a regular check-up list as female circumcision can go onto affect their babies later on in life, as well as posing significant risks of infant mortality during birth. Up until the age of 18, we check in with the families to prevent babies being taken back to undergo genital mutilation.”