Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a practice involving the partial or total removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. It's prevalent in various African tribes, each with distinct methods and cultural significance.
Type I: Clitoridectomy
Definition: Partial or total removal of the clitoral glans (the visible part of the clitoris).
Examples of practice:
Ethiopia (Oromo communities): The procedure often involves excising the clitoral tip with a small blade or knife. It is performed on young girls, usually before puberty.
West African countries (e.g., Nigeria): Among some ethnic groups, clitoridectomy is seen as a rite of passage into womanhood.
Health impacts: Can lead to reduced sexual sensitivity, infections, and scarring.
Type II: Excision
Definition: Removal of the clitoral glans and the labia minora, with or without the labia majora.
Examples of practice:
Malian Tribes: In rural Mali, this practice is conducted using basic tools such as razors or knives. Mothers or grandmothers often oversee the process.
Sierra Leone (Temne people): Excision is part of initiation ceremonies for girls, symbolizing their readiness for marriage.
Health impacts: Increased risk of infections, prolonged bleeding, childbirth complications, and reduced sexual function.
Type III: Infibulation
Definition: Narrowing of the vaginal opening by cutting and repositioning the labia, with or without removing the clitoris. The vulva is sewn shut, leaving a small hole for bodily functions.
Examples of practice:
Somali communities: This type is the most prevalent form of FGM here. Girls as young as five undergo the procedure, which is often done in non-medical settings.
Sudanese ethnic groups (e.g., Nubians): The practice is deeply rooted in cultural beliefs around female purity and marriageability.
Health impacts: This type has the most severe consequences, including chronic pain, urinary retention, recurrent infections, and major complications during childbirth.
Type IV: Other Harmful Practices
Definition: All other non-medical modifications to female genitalia, such as pricking, piercing, incising, scraping, and cauterization.
Examples of practice:
Kenyan tribes (e.g., Kikuyu): In some cases, pricking or nicking the clitoris replaces more invasive forms of FGM as a compromise between tradition and law.
Chad and Central African Republic: Girls undergo rituals where genitalia are scraped or cauterized to mark cultural identity.
Health impacts: These practices can still cause infections, scarring, and emotional distress.
These practices vary in method and severity but share significant health risks. Understanding the specific types and their cultural contexts can help in addressing FGM more effectively.
Breaking the Silence
"Breaking the Silence" is a deeply moving and thought-provoking documentary that chronicles the extraordinary journey of Jaha Dukureh, a Gambian woman who transforms her personal trauma into a global crusade against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The film opens with Jaha’s harrowing revelation: she was mutilated as a baby in The Gambia, a practice that affects nearly all girls in her country. At just one week old, her clitoris was cut off, a procedure she only understood at the age of 15 when she was brought to the United States for an arranged marriage with a much older man. It was during this marriage that Jaha realized the full extent of the physical and emotional scars left by FGM, igniting her determination to protect her daughter and other girls from the same fate.
The documentary delves into Jaha’s early life in The Gambia, where she grew up in a polygamous household with her father’s three wives and over 30 siblings. Despite the challenges of her upbringing, Jaha’s mother insisted on her education, breaking tradition by enrolling her in school. However, Jaha’s life took a tragic turn when her mother passed away from breast cancer, leaving her vulnerable to the cultural expectations of early marriage and FGM. At 15, Jaha was forced into a marriage with a man in his 40s, an experience that exposed her to the lifelong pain and complications of FGM, including infibulation—a severe form of mutilation that required surgical intervention to allow for sexual intercourse and childbirth.
Jaha’s story takes a pivotal turn when she escapes her abusive marriage with the help of women’s rights organizations and begins to rebuild her life in the United States. Despite facing stigma and isolation from her community, she finds the strength to pursue an education and eventually starts a family. However, the physical and emotional scars of FGM continue to haunt her, leading her to research the practice and its impact on women’s lives. She discovers that FGM is not a religious obligation but a cultural practice rooted in the control of women’s sexuality. This revelation fuels her determination to speak out and advocate for change.
The film follows Jaha as she launches the "Safe Hands for Girls" organization, providing support to FGM survivors and raising awareness about the practice. Her activism gains momentum when she starts a petition on Change.org, calling on the U.S. government to conduct a study on FGM in America. The campaign attracts over 200,000 signatures and garners international attention, leading to increased media coverage and support from organizations like Equality Now and The Guardian. Jaha’s efforts culminate in her participation in the Girl Summit, an international event focused on ending FGM and child marriage, where she shares her story and advocates for global action.
The documentary also highlights Jaha’s return to The Gambia, where she organizes the first national youth conference against FGM. Despite facing resistance from religious leaders and cultural traditionalists, Jaha’s campaign gains traction, sparking a national conversation about the harms of FGM. Her work catches the attention of the Gambian government, leading to a historic announcement by the president banning FGM in the country. This momentous achievement is a testament to Jaha’s relentless advocacy and the power of grassroots activism.
However, the film does not shy away from the challenges that remain. Jaha acknowledges that the ban is just the first step and that sustained efforts are needed to enforce the law and change deeply entrenched cultural attitudes. The documentary concludes with Jaha reflecting on her journey, emphasizing the importance of education, community engagement, and the empowerment of women and girls in the fight to end FGM.
"Breaking the Silence" is a powerful and inspiring story of resilience, courage, and hope. Through Jaha’s journey, the film sheds light on the devastating impact of FGM and the urgent need for global action to protect future generations of girls. It is a call to action for individuals, communities, and governments to come together and end this harmful practice, ensuring that every girl has the right to live free from violence and oppression.
Scarred Silence
For over four thousand years, female genital mutilation (FGM) has been practiced across Africa, often justified as a religious rite, but in truth, deeply entrenched in cultural tradition. Every year, an estimated two million girls endure the painful and often life-threatening procedure, performed by untrained practitioners using crude, unsterilized tools in unhygienic conditions. While some girls survive with deep physical and psychological scars, others succumb to infection, hemorrhage, or shock.
A Legacy of Pain
The film opens with the harrowing screams of a young girl as she undergoes circumcision, her cries drowned out by the ululations of women celebrating her initiation into womanhood. For countless girls, this violent transition marks not just a rite of passage but the beginning of a lifetime of suffering. The physical consequences range from chronic infections and sterility to sexual dysfunction and complications during childbirth. The emotional scars, however, are just as deep—fear, trauma, and a loss of bodily autonomy that will shape their entire lives.
The Bondo Society and the Silence of a Nation
In Sierra Leone, where over 90% of women are circumcised, the practice is tightly woven into the fabric of society. Membership in the secretive Bondo Society, an exclusive women's organization, is conditional upon undergoing the procedure. Without initiation, a girl is considered unmarriageable, shunned by her community, and deprived of a respectable social status. In this world, to challenge FGM is to question the very foundation of one’s existence.
A young girl, terrified of the fate that awaits her, flees her village to hide in the capital, Freetown. She fears being found by her family, who will force her under the knife. Her story is not unique—many others attempt to escape, only to be forcibly circumcised as punishment for defying tradition. The secrecy surrounding the Bondo Society is absolute; uncircumcised women and men are strictly forbidden from witnessing its rituals. Those who attempt to expose its inner workings face threats, exile, or worse. Even politicians, fearful of alienating their electorate, refuse to take a stand. In Sierra Leone, to speak out against FGM is to invite social and political ruin.
A Lone Voice in the Darkness
Amidst this oppressive silence, one woman dares to challenge the system. Ruggiartu Turay, a former Bondo member, has become one of the first women in Sierra Leone to openly campaign against FGM. Through relentless advocacy, she has persuaded over 400 traditional practitioners across 111 villages to abandon the practice. Yet, her fight is far from over. Many of these women rely on circumcision fees as their primary source of income. Without financial alternatives, asking them to stop is asking them to starve.
Turay and her organization, AIM, plead for government intervention and donor funding to support former practitioners in finding new livelihoods. But without political will, progress remains agonizingly slow. NGOs are reluctant to prioritize FGM when the country is still reeling from the devastation of a decade-long civil war. Many in Sierra Leone continue to downplay the issue, claiming that the practice is too deeply rooted to change.
A Regional Struggle
Across Africa, the fight against FGM is met with varying degrees of success. In Ethiopia, where the government has declared zero tolerance for FGM, NGOs have been able to access funding and launch awareness campaigns. But even with political support, the battle is far from won. Deeply religious communities resist change, believing that circumcision is a divine mandate.
In Ethiopia’s Muslim-majority regions, one of the most extreme forms of FGM is practiced—infibulation. This procedure involves the removal of the clitoris and labia, after which the remaining flesh is stitched together, leaving only a tiny opening. Girls who undergo this brutal form of mutilation often suffer lifelong complications, including severe infections, menstrual difficulties, and obstructed labor. Husbands, eager to ensure their brides' virginity, frequently force their wives open on their wedding night or demand that they be cut open just days before marriage.
The Role of Religious Leaders
Given the deep-seated religious justifications for FGM, activists in Ethiopia turn to religious leaders in hopes of changing perceptions from within. Yet, many clerics resist, arguing that the Prophet Muhammad himself endorsed circumcision. However, evidence contradicts this claim—FGM is virtually nonexistent in strictly Muslim nations such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, where there is no religious obligation for it in either the Quran or the Hadith. Despite these facts, cultural tradition often prevails over religious truth.
The Next Generation
In schools across Ethiopia, young students are being taught about the dangers of FGM in an effort to shift societal attitudes. Yet, when asked why they themselves were circumcised, many girls respond with the same fear—if they are left uncut, they will never find a husband. The fate of their social and economic future depends on the expectations of men, making it clear that real change will only come when men, too, are educated and involved in the fight against FGM.
The Road to Change
The film underscores the heartbreaking reality that only those within these societies can bring about change. Activists like Ruggiartu Turay, grassroots organizations, and brave survivors are slowly chipping away at centuries-old customs. But without government support, political will, and sustainable economic alternatives, the battle remains an uphill one.
In Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, and beyond, FGM continues to claim millions of victims every year, leaving young girls powerless against a tradition designed to control them. The silence surrounding this practice, enforced through fear and social pressure, must be broken. Until that day comes, the future of countless women remains uncertain—held captive by the weight of their own cultural inheritance.