Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a harmful practice rooted in cultural and social norms, not medically justified. It persists due to deeply ingrained traditions across certain communities.

Core Reasons

FGM is performed for several interconnected reasons, often overlapping in practicing regions like parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. These include:

  • Social acceptance and rites of passage : Seen as essential for a girl to be considered mature, eligible for marriage, or integrated into her community. Families face ostracism if they refuse.
  • Control of sexuality : Believed to ensure premarital virginity, marital fidelity, and reduce female desire, thereby pleasing men.
  • Hygiene and aesthetics : External genitalia viewed as unclean or unattractive; removal is thought to promote cleanliness or beauty.
  • Religious or mythical justifications : Sometimes linked to faith (though not required by Islam or Christianity) or beliefs like enhancing fertility.

Cultural Context

"Female genital mutilation is driven by gender inequality and damaging social norms, rooted in traditional beliefs that are passed down through generations."

The practice predates major religions and reflects patriarchal control, with social pressure overriding health risks like infections or childbirth complications. In some areas, it's a collective norm upheld by both genders.

Global Perspectives

  • UNFPA/WHO view : Primarily psychosocial, not religious; efforts focus on education to shift norms.
  • Historical lens : Dates back millennia, tied to purity ideals, but declining in urban areas due to awareness campaigns.
  • Opposing voices : Survivors and activists highlight trauma, calling it violence against women.

Recent Trends

As of 2026, over 200 million women affected; 68 million girls at risk by 2030 without intervention. Bans exist in many countries, but enforcement varies.

TL;DR : FGM stems from cultural norms enforcing gender roles, not health or religion—social pressure sustains it despite harms.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.