The medicalisation of female genital mutilation (FGM) is one of the most profound violations of human rights and ethical principles that underpin healthcare practice.

In 2024, over 230 million women and girls globally had undergone FGM, with 80 million of them living in Asia. Alarmingly, around 1 in 4 acts of FGM are carried out by professional health workers, in clinics or homes. This creates the misconception that FGM is ‘safer’ and ‘less harmful’ when performed by health professionals.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the Asia-Pacific region, the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), and the Asia Network to End FGM/C stands united in condemning the medicalis

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