Female Genital Mutilation, Meaning, Practice in India, Eradication Measures

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) refers to all non medical procedures that partially or totally remove or injure the external female genital organs. It has no health benefits and causes serious physical, psychological and reproductive harm. Globally, over 230 million girls and women alive today have undergone FGM across 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. 

Female Genital Mutilation

The Female Genital Mutilation practice is usually performed on girls between infancy and 15 years of age. FGM is internationally recognized as a violation of human rights, reflecting deep gender inequality and discrimination against women and girls. Health systems worldwide spend an estimated US$ 1.4 billion annually treating FGM related complications, a cost projected to rise without urgent abandonment efforts.

Female Genital Mutilation in India

Female Genital Mutilation exists in India in limited communities, with no specific national law banning it, making eradication legally and socially complex.

• Prevalence: Locally it is called khatna or khafz, among sections of the Dawoodi Bohra community in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh, usually on girls aged six to seven years.
• Legal Status: India currently has no standalone law criminalizing FGM. However several activists and social reformers have demanded a legal framework against the practice.
• Judicial Developments: A Public Interest Litigation filed in the Supreme Court in 2017 argued FGM violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution, while opposing arguments cited religious freedom under Articles 25 and 26.
• Health Impacts: Various Gynaecologists have reported cases of infections, urinary problems, childbirth complications and even sepsis linked to FGM procedures.
• Civil Society Action: Survivor-led groups such as Sahiyo and We Speak Out have documented experiences, with most expressing a desire to end the practice.

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Female Genital Mutilation Eradication Measures

Global and Indian initiatives focus on legal reform, health sector action and social norm change to eliminate FGM by 2030.

• United Nations Action: UNFPA and UNICEF have jointly led the largest global FGM elimination programme since 2008, aiming to meet SDG 5.3, which targets ending harmful practices.
• International Day: The UN designated 6 February as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM.
• WHO Role: The World Health Organization passed WHA Resolution 61.16 and urges health workers not to perform FGM, countering medicalization through global training and guidelines.
• Risk Reduction Efforts: UN agencies estimate 4.4 million girls were at risk globally in 2024, prompting expanded community education and child protection interventions.
• India-Specific Measures: Advocacy groups demand explicit legislation banning FGM, integration of FGM awareness into child protection laws and nationwide education campaigns to challenge harmful social norms.