CLIMATE CHANGE AND FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION: A HIDDEN CONNECTION.

By Mumtaz Chilwan.

 

Female genital mutilation(FGM) is a harmful practice that involves the removal of the external genitals. It is estimated that over 200 million girls and women have been subjected to FGM. Climate change is contributing the root causes of FGM, such as poverty, gender inequality and conflict. As a result more girls are at a risk of being subjected to FGM. 

In this article we can get to see how climate change contributes to FGM.

Climate change is leading to poverty and food insecurity which are major drivers of FGM and also increases the risk of FGM. First, families who are struggling to make ends meet may see FGM as a way to reduce the number of mouths to feed. In Maasai communities, their tradition says that when a girl is circumcised they are ready to be married. Their families use this way to reduce the number of mouths to feed due to poverty.

Climate change brings conflict and displacement which leads to FGM. Conflict and displacement leads to FGM in a number of some ways. First, girls and women who are displaced are more vulnerable to  FGM as they are often living in camps or other temporary settlement where they have limited access to education, health care and other protection services.

Second, conflict leads to the breakdown of traditional structures and norms which make girls more vulnerable to FGM. Climate change increases the exposure of new cultures, as people migrate to new areas and come in contact with people from different backgrounds. Exposure of new cultures result to conflicts which leads to FGM.

In addition to that, armed groups may use FGM as a way to control girls who are displaced either from poverty or girls who undergo domestic violence in their families.

Climate change contributes to FGM by making it more difficult for girls to access education and health care, which increases the risk of FGM. Climate change is increasing the frequency of weather events such as drought, floods or cyclones. These events damage schools and health clinics which make it difficult for them to access.

Lack of access to education makes girls more vulnerable to FGM. First, girls who do not have access to education are likely to be unaware of the dangers of FGM and may be more easily pressured by their families and communities to have FGM performed. Second, girls who do not have access to health clinic are more likely to experience complications from FGM such as fistula, cervical cancer and at times can be infected by HIV due to unsterilized circumcision tools which results to AIDs which if not given medication result to death thus end of early life gone.

Also, girls who do not have access to education and health care may see FGM as a way to improve their economic aspects.

Climate change contributes to FGM by disrupting traditional social structures and norms which make girls more vulnerable to FGM. Traditional social structures and norms can provide protection for girls from FGM. In some communities, elders have the power to veto FGM. However, when traditional social structures and norms are disrupted, girls end up losing the protection from the elders in the community. 

Disruption of traditional social structures and norms also lead to uncertainty and confusion about the traditional values and norms. This makes it more difficult for parents to resist the pressure to have their daughters subjected to FGM.

In  addition to that, the disruption of traditional social structures and norms leads to the emergence of new social norms that are more supportive to FGM. For example, in some communities, the displacement caused by climate change has led to the formation of new social groups where FGM is common.

The relationship between climate change is complex. However, it is clear that climate change is contributing the root causes of FGM and making girls more vulnerable to this harmful practice. Climate change is a serious threat that makes the need to call for action that addresses the root cause of FGM and to protect girls from this harmful practice such as:

1. Educating ourselves and others about the root

    causes of FGM by understanding gender

    equality, poverty and harmful traditional norms

    that contribute to FGM.

2. Speak out against FGM and challenge gender

    stereotypes and myths about FGM. When a girl

    gets circumcised, she ends up being married

    and that limits her from reaching her full

    potential and achieving her dreams. Speaking

    out against FGM will make the society be aware

    of the dangers of the harmful practice and they

    will be aware of how climate change

    contributes  to FGM.

3. Supporting organizations that are working to

    end FGM will reduce the risk of girls to be more

    vulnerable to FGM. Such of the organization

    are:

    Nice Place Foundation

   This foundation was founded by Nice Nailantei 

   Leng'ete with an aim at eradicating the

   harmful act thus training and bringing up more

   advocates in the society to stop this harmful

   practice.

  African Women Agenda

   Another organization that works towards

   fighting FGM is African Women Agenda-

   Resilience and development.

By working together, we can create a world where all girls and women are free from the harmful practice.