Sudan has criminalized female genital mutilation and made it a crime punishable with three-year jail term.
A united Nations data revealed that, nine out of ten females in Sudan have undergone FGM.
FGM involves the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia which afterwards poses a host of health problems.
On April 22, the Sudanese government approved an amendment to its criminal legislation, stating that anyone found performing FGM either inside a medical establishment or elsewhere will face three years’ imprisonment alongside a fine.
Women’s rights groups said the punishment would help to end FGM, but warned it would be difficult to change minds in communities that view the traditional practice as necessary to marry their daughters.
Faiza Mohamed, Africa regional director for Equality Now, said, “FGM prevalence in Sudan is one of the highest globally. It is now time to use punitive measures to ensure girls are protected from this torturous practice.
“Having a law against FGM acts as an important deterrent, however, Sudan may face challenges in enforcing legislation. People who still believe in the practice might not report cases or act to stop FGM when they know it is happening.”
Communities may look for ways to avoid detection, while officials who believe in the practice may not uphold the law, warned Mohamed.
An estimated 200 million girls and women worldwide have undergone FGM, which is practised in at least 27 African countries and parts of Asia and the Middle East.
Anti-FGM campaign group, 28 Too Many also said, “Girls can bleed to death or die from infections, while FGM can also cause fatal childbirth complications later, say health experts. In Sudan, more than three-quarters of procedures are conducted by nurses, midwives or other medical personnel.”
In many cases, most of the vaginal opening is sewn up after removal of the external genitalia, a practice known as reinfibulation that can lead to cysts, injury to the urethra, painful sex and inability to orgasm.
