International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
Press Statement
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
February 6, 2012
Today,
we mark the ninth annual International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female
Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C). It is estimated that 100 to 140
million women around the world have undergone this brutal procedure and
three million girls are at risk every year. We must continue to act to
end this affront to women’s equality and the rights and dignity of women
and girls.
No religion mandates this procedure, though it occurs
across cultures, religions, and continents. It is performed on girls in
Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Even in the United States we are
fighting this practice. FGM/C became a federal crime in the United
States in 1997, but the procedure persists in some communities. The U.S.
Government is working with practitioners in the health and legal
community to educate groups about the negative consequences of FGM/C.
Over
the years, community advocates have found that when men come to
understand the physical and psychological trauma FGM/C causes, they
often become effective activists for eradication, including fathers who
refuse to allow their daughters to be subject to the procedure.
Communities must act collectively to abandon the practice, so that girls
and their families who opt out do not become social outcasts. This
approach has led around 6,000 communities across Africa to abandon the
practice, usually through a public declaration. Communities working
together can ensure stronger, healthier futures for girls and young
women.
Every government has an obligation to protect its citizens
from such abuse. As we commemorate International Day of Zero Tolerance
and remember those who have been harmed, we reaffirm our commitment to
overturning deeply entrenched social norms and abolishing this practice.
All women and girls, no matter where they are born or what culture they
are raised in, deserve the opportunity to realize their potential.
