Prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation in India: A Neglected Reality

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as female circumcision or female genital cutting refers to partial or total removal of the external genitalia involving any other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. Such practices of genital alterations in forms of partial or total removal of clitoris (clitoridectomy), clitoris and portion of labia minora (excision), total removal of labia minora and complete closure of vaginal orifice leaving a small opening for passage of urine and menstrual blood (infibulation), or other harmful injury to female genitalia is a global habitude prevalent in many countries spanning parts of Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), globally, over 200 million girls alive today have suffered FGM in over 30 countries. Under such religious and cultural custom, girls below the age of fifteen are subjected to inhumane genital cutting causing severe pain, shock, excessive bleeding, bacterial infections, and face long term difficulty in passing urine, affecting sexual and reproductive and mental health. Not only it generates medical hazards, the practice also reinstates deep-rooted inequality of sexes, patriarchal power structure of control over female ‘purity’ and sexuality, to ensure premarital virginity and marital fidelity. Beyond social norm, FGM is associated with cultural ideals of femininity and modesty, which include the notion that girls are clean and beautiful after removal of body parts that are considered unclean, unfeminine or male. While the practice can be traced back to fifth century BC, it took hundred years of campaign and activism to shed light into prevalence of such practice. It was only with the intervention of United Nations in 2012 with adoption of resolution to ban such an ugly practice that the countries around the world took measures to systematically eradicate FGM. 

Despite noteworthy efforts by global institutions and national governments, the world is not free of practicing Female Genital Mutilation. In India, FGM known in the region as Khafd and Khatna continues to be practiced as a secret traditional religious custom commonly amongst the Dawoodi Bohra Shia Muslim community. As a custom, a ‘ceremony’ is arranged by the elder women of the family where a 6-7 years old girl’s clitoris is partially or totally removed by ‘Mullanis’ who have no knowledge and training about human physiology. Performed as a pre-marriage rite, it is done in stealthy circumstances in the closed confines of a “darkened” room using unsterilized knife, razor or scissors, and without anaesthesia. Such alteration, excision, cauterizing or cutting of the clitoral hood or the clitoris amounts to violation of the bodily integrity of a girl and woman. Citing her traumatic and painful experience, Masooma narrated- “My mum told me come, I’ll take you out and buy you chocolates. I happily went with her. She took me to Bohri mohalla (in Mumbai), a cluster where 90% Bohras live. We went into this dark decrepit building. I remember being taken into a room. The curtains were drawn. She said lie down. Like an obedient child, I lay. My grandmother was holding my hands. An oldish woman pulled down my pants and I started crying. Grandma said don’t worry, it will be over in a jiffy. I shrieked in pain. I experienced a sharp, shooting pain and she put some black powder there. I came home and cried and cried and cried.” The saddest part is, such mindless tradition is forced on a woman by trusted women of their family- mothers, grandmothers and aunts; leaving deep long-term mental and emotional disturbances.

The patriarchal structure of Indian society with women subjected to domination, subordination, oppression and exploitation by men has resulted in prevalence of such a barbaric practice like Khatna. Performed for reasons like increasing sexual pleasure for the male, enhancing fertility, preservation of virginity, controlling women’s sexuality, social acceptance and abiding by the rules stated by the religious clergy FGM continues to be ‘India’s dark secret’. Roughly 70-80% Bohra women out of its two million population residing in India are subjected to FGM. Still, the practice remains a secret, hidden from public eye, outside recognition of the Government of India. Even with established provisions for Protection of Children from Sexual Offences that could deal with FGM, the tradition has prevailed for decades. It is however noteworthy how there has been rising activism against such practice in recent decade. In fact, India’s ‘dark secret’ came out to the open with Tasleem’s change.org campaign in 2011 demanding a ban on such vicious ritual. Since then there has been series of silence breakers with the launch of ‘WeSpeakOut’, a platform used by Bohra women to narrate their experiences, regarded as taboo. In 2017, through this online platform, the Bohra women sent an open letter to PM Narendra Modi to release a statement that declares FGM/Khatna/female genital cutting illegal in India. However, Indian law till date couldn’t guarantee a ban on such practice that not only violates human rights but is a cruel form of child abuse even within the scope of Indian Penal Code or POSCO Act.

It is unfortunate that India still lives in a state of denial about the prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation citing ‘no official data’ on its existence. In spite of testimonies and petitions submitted to the Ministry of Women and Child Development as well as the National Commission of Women, the existence of such practice is considered to be a myth. In fact, when writ petition, filed by child rights advocate Sunita Tiwari, sought a ban on “the inhuman practice of ‘Khatna’ or FGM making it a cognizable, non-compoundable and non-bailable offence”, the Ministry in its affidavit to Supreme Court responded- “It is respectfully submitted that at present there is no official data or study (by NCRB etc) which supports the existence of FGM in India.” While more than 59 countries including African countries like Kenya and Uganda have criminalised this practice, in India it continues to be ‘invisible’ and unlegislated. But the question is, how long can we protect such barbaric practices in the name of protection of essential religious practice (Article 25-26) of Constitution? How can a ritual that aims to control sexuality of women be at all essential? India as it stands today, is far from realizing Section 5 (Gender Equality) of Sustainable Development Goal that strives for full eradication of FGM by 2030. 

1. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-female-genital-mutilation-6254573/
2. https://www.un.org/en/observances/female-genital-mutilation-day
3. https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation
4. https://cafedissensus.com/2016/05/05/the-practice-of-female-genital-mutilation-fgm-amongst-the-dawoodi-bohra-shia-muslim-community/
5. https://www.hindustantimes.com/static/fgm-indias-dark-secret/
6. https://www.thequint.com/voices/opinion/female-gender-mutilation-indias-well-kept-secret#read-more
7. https://wespeakout.org/
8. https://wespeakout.org/posts/openlettertonarendramodi/
9. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/no-official-data-on-existence-of-female-genital-mutilation-in-india-centre-tells-sc-5001780/

Sristhi Ghosh

Intern, Asia in Global Affairs

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author in her personal capacity.