First Person: ‘No daughter of mine will be cut’
Like 95 per cent of women in her Ugandan community, Margaret Chepoteltel underwent female genital mutilation (FGM) as a child, subjecting her to lifelong health problems. Today, she is raising awareness of the dangers of FGM, as part of a UN-backed programme. https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/03/1088342
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Nawal El Saadawi obituary
Outspoken Egyptian feminist, writer and campaigner who fought against patriarchy and poverty https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/22/nawal-el-saadawi-obituary
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Kenyan court upholds ban on female genital mutilation
Kenya’s high court refused to allow female circumcision for consenting adults, saying the practice does not have health benefits. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/17/kenyan-court-upholds-ban-on-female-genital-mutiliation
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FGM: Survivors tell their stories as female circumcision referrals drop during pandemic
Referrals have dropped during the pandemic but it is not known if it is happening under the radar or because flights are banned. https://news.sky.com/story/fgm-survivors-tell-their-stories-as-female-circumcision-referrals-drop-during-pandemic-12227830
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Number of new FGM cases referred to NHS in England down by a quarter
Campaigners caution that drop may be down to difficulties in accessing services during Covid pandemic https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/feb/25/new-fgm-cases-referred-nhs-down-by-quarter
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Female genital mutilation: COVID-19 school closures have led to a rise in FGM cases, say experts
The number of girls subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM) is believed to have gone up due to the COVID-19 pandemic, experts have told Euronews. https://www.euronews.com/2021/02/06/fgm-covid-19-pandemic-thought-to-have-sparked-a-rise-in-female-genital-mutilations-say-exp
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Two million extra cases of FGM likely over next 10 years due to Covid, UN warns
UN leaders say FGM would not be carried out if we had true gender equality https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/fgm-rise-coronavirus-lockdown-b1798428.html
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‘Do No Harm’: Experiences and Impacts of FGM Safeguarding, Bristol Study
Since the 2014 Girl Summit, the UK government has introduced a swathe of legislative changes and new safeguarding measures to protect girls from Female genital mutilation (FGM). https://www.forwarduk.org.uk/forward-publications/fgm-safeguarding-bristol-study/
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UK’s FGM safeguarding policies undermining welfare, study warns
Policies introduced to protect women and girls are alienating African diaspora communities https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/feb/04/female-gential-mutilation-uk-safeguarding-policies-undermining-welfare-study-finds
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Kenya Covid-19: Has the pandemic led to an increase in FGM?
Despite multiple accounts of trauma caused by female genital mutilation (FGM) in the Tana River region in Kenya there are concerns it’s on the rise due to the restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-africa-55587160
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