Sitting down to write this editorial on 6 February, the Global ‘Day of Zero Tolerance’ for female genital mutilation (FGM), it feels somewhat disconcerting to be introducing a feature article arguing for a ‘compromise position’ towards a practice that is widely accepted as abhorrent. Indeed, I’m sure many of the journal’s readers will share my intuitive response that there is little scope for e...

female genital mutilation in different parts of the african continent isconsidered as one of the vast territory’s social problems. this social problem whichis accounted as an old tradition in different countries of the african continent hashad so many unpleasant physical and mental effects on urban and rural africanwomen during recent centuries. throughout recent decades, considerable effortsha...

Type 1 – Clitoridectomy: partial or total removal of the clitoris (a small, sensitive and erectile part of the female genitals) and/or in very rare cases only, the prepuce (the fold of skin surrounding the clitoris). Type 2 – Excision: partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora (the labia are the ‘lips’ that surround the vagina). ...

Over the next decade around 30 million girls under age 15 are at risk of FGM/C. Given that there is no physical benefit for the girls and acknowledging that FGM/C involves physical, psychological, social and reproductive harm, we, along with major international and national governmental and non-governmental organizations find FGM/C a severe violation of human rights [1]. We must encourage vigor...

Male genital self-mutilation (GSM) is a rare but serious phenomenon. Some of the risk factors for this act are the presence of religious delusions, command hallucinations, low self-esteem, and feelings of guilt associated with sexual offences. Other risk factors include failures in the male role, problems in the early developmental period, such as experiencing difficulties in male identificatio...

Gender based violence (GBV) is a preventable and serious human rights violation whereby an individual harmed on their gender. 1 The can be perpetrated physically, sexually, mentally or financially. This includes domestic violence, rape, feticide/infanticide female genital mutilation. As to expected, victims of GBV often suffer from life-long consequences at times even death.