By Bunmi Yekini
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning about the growing trend of “medicalized” female genital mutilation (FGM), calling for urgent action to prevent health workers from participating in the harmful practice.
In a new guideline published today, titled Theprevention of female genital mutilation and clinical management of Complications, WHO stresses that while the health sector has a critical role to play in ending FGM and supporting survivors, disturbing evidence shows that an estimated 52 million girls and women, about one in four FGM cases, have been cut by health workers as of 2020.
“Female genital mutilation is a severe violation of girls’ rights and critically endangers their health,” said Dr Pascale Allotey, WHO’s Director for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research. “Health workers must be agents for change rather than perpetrators of this harmful practice, and must also provide high-quality medical care for those suffering its effects.”
FGM typically involves the removal or injury of parts of the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is usually carried out on girls before puberty. WHO warns that no matter who performs FGM, it causes lasting harm, and procedures performed by health workers may result in deeper, more severe injuries. Medicalization also risks legitimizing the practice in communities, undermining broader efforts to eliminate it altogether.
Read Also:GOARN Celebrates 25 Years of Leading Global Health Emergency Response
The new guideline strongly recommends that professional codes of conduct explicitly ban health workers from carrying out FGM. It also emphasizes the need to engage and train health professionals to advocate against the practice, equipping them with sensitive communication strategies to decline requests and raise awareness about the serious health consequences.
“Research shows that health workers can be influential opinion leaders in changing attitudes on FGM, and play a crucial role in its prevention,” said Christina Pallitto, a WHO scientist who led the development of the guideline. “Engaging doctors, nurses, and midwives should be a key element in prevention and response strategies.”
In addition to prevention, the guideline provides clinical recommendations to ensure that survivors receive empathetic, high-quality medical care, addressing a wide range of health needs throughout their lives, from mental health support to obstetric care and surgical repairs where necessary.
WHO notes that progress is possible. Countries such as Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, and Ethiopia have achieved significant reductions in FGM prevalence among 15–19-year-old girls over the past three decades through strong political commitment and community-driven initiatives.
Since 1990, the global likelihood of a girl undergoing FGM has decreased threefold. However, FGM remains widespread in about 30 countries, with an estimated 4 million girls at risk each year.
WHO’s latest guideline calls on governments, the health sector, and communities to work together to strengthen laws, educate the public, including men and boys, and support survivors, with the ultimate goal of ending FGM worldwide.