Ranking eighth in the world in terms of the prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM), there are still regions in Mauritania where nearly 100% of girls are subjected to genital cutting, many within the first 40 days of their lives. Despite legal efforts taken to curb the harmful practice, this barbaric form of violence continues to be perpetuated in the African country.
Ibrahim Ahmedou, Executive Director of the Mauritanian Association for Family Promotion, told DevelopmetnAid that FGM is motivated by misguided health beliefs and traditions that aim to preserve purity and virginity among young girls. FGM predates the introduction of Islam to the region, he said, noting that its roots lie much deeper within traditional, religious, and ethnic beliefs.
Today, the prevalence of FGM remains high, with an estimated three out of every four infant girls still being forced to undergo this harmful procedure. Official figures from the Ministry of Social Affairs, Childhood, and the Family suggest there has been a fall from 72% in 2016 to 69.6% but UN data shows that no progress has been made in some of the country’s regions. For example, 98.9% of women aged 15-49 in the Gharbi region have been subjected to FGM, 97.9% in Assaba, and 97,4% in Guidimakha.
Unlike other Arab countries where FGM typically occurs after the age of 10, Ahmedou revealed that in Mauritania, this practice takes place within the first 40 days of a female’s life.
Ahmedou disclosed that a law criminalizing FGM was formulated six years ago but has proceeded no further since the dismissal of the minister who proposed it. However, the Child Protection Law prohibits harm to a child’s reproductive organs and mandates hospitals to refrain from conducting FGM with penalties ranging from fines to the loss of employment. Meanwhile, the Population Development Fund and UNICEF, together with the country’s government, have put in place a national strategy to combat FGM, raise awareness, educate communities, and enact laws to curb the practice.
Positive signs of progress include memoranda that prohibits FGM being undertaken in clinics and hospitals as well as with on-the-ground strategies involving religious leaders and influencers being educated to reshape the narrative regarding FGM. However, despite certain progress being made in the eradication of the practice at an official level, challenging the behavior and beliefs of older mothers and grandmothers still remains difficult with FGM procedures still occurring in homes, often being conducted by women aged over 50.
Saham Hamadi, the Coordinator of the Advocacy and Gender Program at the Mauritanian Association for Maternal and Child Health, pointed out that one obstacle is the insufficient enforcement and rigor of the laws that criminalize this phenomenon whereas stringent implementation would serve as a deterrent to anyone considering violating the rights of young girls. The deeply rooted customs and traditions that must be eradicated pose another challenge which will only happen over a significant period of time, Hamadi told Development Aid.
The lack of awareness of the seriousness of the procedure further hampers the eradication of it thus emphasizing the need for increased efforts to improve awareness within communities.
From a global perspective, the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation highlights that over 200 million girls and women worldwide have undergone FGM. This practice not only infringes upon their fundamental rights but also hampers sustainable and equitable development by imposing physical, mental, and sexual health harm. Moreover, it incurs economic costs and limits the creation of human capital for present and future generations.
