What Happens to the Body
FGM removes healthy tissue and causes immediate bleeding, pain, and shock. Long-term it causes chronic pain, infections, and reproductive damage. No part of FGM improves health β it only destroys it.
A secure digital platform for anonymous FGM reporting and verified educational resources in Mandera East Sub-County, Kenya.
FGM refers to all procedures involving partial or total removal of, or injury to, the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. It is internationally recognised as a violation of human rights.
"FGM has no health benefits, and it harms girls and women in many ways. It involves removing and damaging healthy and normal female genital tissue."β World Health Organization (WHO), 2023
All types cause harm β there is no safe form. Type III is most common in Mandera East.
Partial or total removal of the clitoris and, in rare cases, only the prepuce.
Severe harmPartial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora. Most common form across Africa.
Very severe harmNarrowing of the vaginal opening by cutting and repositioning the labia. Most common in Mandera East β highest risk of death.
Most severe β risk of deathAll other harmful procedures including pricking, piercing, incising, scraping, or cauterising the genital area.
Severe harmFGM causes immediate and lifelong damage. There is no safe age and no safe type.
Kenya has some of Africa's strongest legal protections against FGM. Cultural tradition is NOT a legal defence.
Up to KES 200,000 fine OR up to 3 years imprisonment β or BOTH
Same penalty: KES 200,000 fine or 3 years imprisonment, or both
Criminal prosecution as an accessory to the crime
Life imprisonment
Click each myth to see the truth. Knowing the facts is one of the most powerful tools for ending FGM.
FACT: No major religion requires FGM. The Quran, Bible, and Torah do not mention it. Leading Islamic scholars including Egypt's Al-Azhar University have stated that FGM has no basis in Islam. It is a cultural practice, not a religious one.
FACT: The opposite is true. Removing healthy tissue creates wounds and scar tissue prone to chronic infection and urinary problems. FGM dramatically increases infection risk rather than reducing it.
FACT: Marriage and FGM are not linked medically or legally. This is a social belief that is changing. Many men in Mandera and across Kenya have publicly stated they do not require FGM for marriage.
FACT: FGM often causes infertility through infections, scarring, and childbirth complications. Women with FGM have significantly higher rates of reproductive problems. FGM reduces, not improves, fertility.
FACT: Research shows girls suffer lasting psychological trauma even when physical wounds heal. PTSD, depression, and anxiety are documented in survivors. Many live with chronic pain for decades. The psychological wound can last a lifetime.
Verified, culturally sensitive resources on health, law, and community support.
FGM removes healthy tissue and causes immediate bleeding, pain, and shock. Long-term it causes chronic pain, infections, and reproductive damage. No part of FGM improves health β it only destroys it.
The Prohibition of FGM Act (2011) makes FGM illegal across Kenya. Anyone who performs, assists, or consents to FGM faces prison and heavy fines. Cultural background provides no legal defence. Every girl is protected.
If you know a girl at risk: (1) Report anonymously using this system. (2) Call 116 β free national helpline, 24/7. (3) Call 1195 β gender violence helpline. (4) Contact your nearest health facility. You will NOT be punished for reporting.
Mandera County has one of Kenya's highest FGM rates at 95.9% among women aged 15-49 (DHS 2014). The most common type is Type III (Infibulation), the most severe form. Without urgent action, the UN 2030 goal to eliminate FGM will not be met here.
For women with Type III FGM, a medical procedure called deinfibulation can open scar tissue, relieve pain, and improve childbirth safety. Psychological counselling is also available. While original tissue cannot be restored, treatment significantly improves quality of life.
Hundreds of communities across Africa have successfully abandoned FGM while keeping their cultural identity and celebrations. Alternative rites of passage replace the cutting without the harm. Culture is living and evolving β communities choose what to keep.
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