Why Global Citizens Should Care:
Despite being illegal, FGM is performed on 87% of women in Egypt. This new initiative is helping to curb the practice and improve the health of young girls throughout the country. You can join us in taking action on this issue and the rest of the Global Goals here.

A new Egyptian website is tackling the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM), as part of a campaign to protect young girls and educate family members, Middle East Monitor reports.

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The site, called Enough With FGM, hosts educational videos and articles about the dangers of the procedure, and acts as a channel for Egyptians to anonymously report individuals and doctors involved in attempts to perform the operation, according to the article.

Read More: This New Jersey Airport Will Educate Passengers on FGM

“We’ve received a recent notice of a doctor in Al-Giza governorate who was secretly performing FGM on girls in his clinic,” Vivian Fouad, coordinator of the National Strategy against FGM, which oversees the website, told Middle East Monitor. “We communicated with the Ministry of Health, who then notified the prosecution. The clinic was found and the doctor arrested.”

Despite being outlawed in the country since 2008, FGM is still forced upon 87% of Egyptian women between the ages of 15 and 49, according to the most recent UNICEF data.

This is largely attributed to confusion and misinformation surrounding the practice, which is why Enough With FGM also serves as a resource for parents to inquire with their concerns.

Read More: Nigeria Must Do More to Protect Girls Against FGM, Activists Say

“These are actually the most calls we receive,” Fouad told Middle East Monitor regarding the practice, which, in addition to being illegal, is unhealthy and forbidden by Islamic law. “We answer all their questions comprehensively with scientific proof, explaining pure in a factual manner without exaggeration to maintain their trust.”

Performing FGM is currently punishable by a sentence of up to 15 years in prison in Egypt, while family members found guilty of escorting girls to have the procedure done can receive between one and three years in prison, notes the report.

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Egypt Launches Website to Help Women and Girls Combat FGM

By Joanna Prisco