MONICA KAYOMBO,Zambia/ Lusaka.
IN the quiet corners of Zambia and other African countries, a harmful tradition persists, leaving a trail of physical and emotional scars on thousands of women and girls.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), often justified as a means to deter promiscuity, is a reality that many face, violating their Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR).
Dr Tapiwa Uchizi Nyasulu, UNFPA Regional Gender and Human Rights Advisor, sheds light on the issue.
“FGM is about the tampering of the female genital, genitalia itself. Zambia is a host to many refugees, and some of these refugees come in with their own traditions and culture, including FGM.”
The practice is rooted in cultural beliefs, but its consequences are far-reaching.
FGM is categorized into four types by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
In Zambia, the prevalent type is labia elongation (Type 4), which does not involve cutting but still has severe health consequences.
Dr Nyasulu explains that “The type four (labia elongation), which doesn’t involve cutting, is the elongation aspect of things.”
The health risks are alarming as these harmful practices leads to maternal mortality, fistula, early marriages, and teenage pregnancies.
“The victims of FGM might end up having continuous spilling of urine, which is infectious to the child being born,” Dr. Nyasulu notes.
Labia elongation is also associated with sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS and many girls drop out of school.
Dr Nyasulu elaborates on the types of FGM saying there is a complete total mutilating or cutting of the labia minora, labia majora, and even the clitoris itself.
And then there is the other type of FGM where you are actually covering the vagina itself and sewing it, just leaving a smaller part where the woman can pass urine.
“So then that becomes savagery, it is an injury, it is very, very bad,’’ she said.
FGM also has emotional and psychological impacts as survivors often face stigma and trauma, affecting their daily lives.
“Fistula brings about stigma and has many hygiene issues, including bacterial infections,” Dr Nyasulu says.
Zambia’ has low cases of FGM but its geographical location makes it vulnerable to FGM.
As a host to many refugees, the country risks an increase in FGM cases if no control measures are implemented.
“Zambia, being a land-linked country and a host to many refugees, is at high risk of recording high FGM cases if no control measures are implemented,” Dr Nyasulu warns.
To combat FGM, UNFPA and partners are working tirelessly to see where law enforcement ought to be in place.
“We are also supporting the Bill that we are calling the FGM Bill in the East African community, particularly to tackle cross-border FGM,” Dr Nyasulu says.
A new trend has emerged, with families taking girls across borders for cutting, often in secret.
“There is cross-border FGM in Uganda, as well as getting into Kenya, also from Kenya as you are getting into Tanzania, and vice versa,” Dr Nyasulu reveals.
Those involved in secretive FGM take girls across borders at night or during the day, pretending to be on a business trips.
Dr Nyasulu notes that the Immigration department remains a key stakeholder in curbing the practice.
“The Immigration department would also be helping big time by intensifying their screening to get hold of the suspects,” Dr Nyasulu says.
She also observes that community engagement is key to ending FGM.
UNFPA is working with organisations like Life line Zambia, Action Aid, Women in Law (WILDAF) and others to prevent sexual and gender-based violence.
“We are advocating much more for most of the governments to increase domestic funding on women’s issues, girls’ issues,” Dr Nyasulu says.
She say the solution to curb FGM lies in collective action emphasizing that: “Fighting FGM and other harmful practices needs collective measures, not just at an institutional level but consistency as well. We need to involve men, families, churches, religious groups, traditional leaders, and communities.”
She says engaging those who perform FGM is crucial to the fight.
“Engaging the women tasked to do the cutting is another effective way of curbing the vice,” Dr Nyasulu notes.
Dr Nyasulu is dismayed by the belief that those who do not undergo FGM are unclean adding that this must end.
“The belief that those who do not undergo FGM are taken as unclean in society should be ended, owing to the proved health complications and other side effects of the practice,” Dr.Nyasulu says.
Labia elongation, common in Zambia and Malawi, has health and mental consequences as well.
“This is linked also to child marriages, teenage pregnancies, and the like. When there is that element of having something to do with girls, it is mainly preparing and exposing them to sexual activities at a tender age,” Dr Nyasulu explains.
She says after initiation, girls often challenge men on their sexual skills, feeling ready to engage in sexual acts.
“When there is that element of having something to do with girls, it is mainly preparing and exposing them to sexual activities at a tender age,” Dr Nyasulu says.
She add that FGM contributes to high school dropout rates and sexually transmitted diseases and that the practice is also contributing to high school dropout rates
She says some maternal health issues arise due to FGM and become rampant among young girls because their bodies are not well formed.
She emphasized that the UNFPA has the ambitious goal to eliminate FGM globally by 2030.
She notes that with increased domestic funding and community engagement, Zambia can overcome FGM.
Dr Nyasulu concludes that FGM affects women and girls not only maternal-wise, but the entire section of reproductive health.
“We’re talking about gender-based violence that is happening in communities’’, she said.
Zambia’s prevalence rate is low, but the risk is real and requires collective action to end FGM.
Dr Nyasulu puts it, “The prevalence rate of FGM in Zambia is very, very low, and it’s a type four, but the country is at high risk because it is hosting a lot of refugees from various African countries.”
With determination and unity, Zambia can protect its women and girls from this harmful tradition.
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