Global Health Organisation advocates for the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation among healthcare professionals.
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In a bold move, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a call to action, advocating for a code of conduct that prohibits medical professionals from performing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Yesterday, the WHO unveiled new guidelines, shedding light on how we can put an end to FGM more effectively. Healthcare practitioners play a pivotal role in detecting this widely abhorred practice and supporting its survivors. However, evidence suggests that some health workers, rather than local communities, are the ones being called upon to perform this procedure in various regions of the world.
"Female genital mutilation is a clear violation of girls' fundamental rights and seriously jeopardizes their health," stated Pascale Allotey, the WHO's head of sexual and reproductive health and research.
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"Healthcare workers should be advocates for change, not perpetrators of this detrimental act, and must also offer top-notch medical care to those suffering from its devastating effects," she added.
FGM involves the partial or complete removal of female external genitalia or injuries to the female genital organs. It can lead to numerous health complications, such as infections, bleeding, infertility, and issues in childbirth.
Approximately 230 million girls and women worldwide have experienced FGM, primarily during childhood, according to UN Women.
While substantial efforts have been made to eradicate this traumatic and painful procedure, it is still prevalent in about 30 countries, with approximately 4 million girls at risk each year.
The UN health agency cautions that the medicalization of FGM might inadvertently legitimize the practice, setbacks in the quest to eliminate it.
Consequently, the WHO's new guidelines urge professional codes of conduct explicitly banning health workers from conducting FGM. Additionally, the need for positive engagement and training of health workers for prevention is highlighted, as research shows that health professionals can significantly influence perceptions about FGM.
"Engaging doctors, nurses, and midwives should be a cornerstone in FGM prevention and response," said Christina Pallitto, a WHO scientist overseeing the development of the new guidelines.
In addition to prevention strategies, the new guidelines provide clinical recommendations to ensure that FGM survivors receive compassionate and high-quality care. The WHO stated that survivors may require a wide range of health services across their life stages, including mental healthcare, obstetric risk management, and, where appropriate, surgical interventions.
In summary, the intention is for healthcare professionals to not only abstain from involvement in FGM but also to actively contribute to its elimination and provide exceptional care to those affected by the practice.
Insights Integrated:
- Professional Engagement: Healthcare professionals are crucial in changing attitudes about FGM, as their influence can help eradicate the practice [Source: WHO].
- Global Collaboration: United Nations Members, grassroots organizations, and survivors unite to accelerate efforts against FGM [Source: Pact for the Future].
- UNICEF's Approach: UNICEF aims to eliminate FGM by 2030, focusing on empowering girls and women, engaging families and communities, and strengthening laws and policies [Sources: UNICEF, SDG 5.3].
- The new guidelines by the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasize the crucial role of healthcare professionals as advocates for change, aiming to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and associated mental health issues, such as trauma and psychological distress, that affect women's health.
- Switzerland, along with other United Nations Members, is part of a global effort to collaborate with grassroots organizations and survivors to accelerate the elimination of FGM, following the WHO's call to action against the traumatizing practice.
- CBD, as a potential therapeutic option, could offer benefits in managing some mental health conditions related to FGM, such as anxiety and depression, thereby supporting the holistic approach to women's health and wellness.
- As the WHO emphasizes, the likelihood of successfully eradicating FGM increases when professional codes of conduct explicitly ban health workers from conducting the procedure and when healthcare professionals receive training for prevention and care for survivors.
- In line with the WHO's guidelines for health workers, science and research play a crucial role in developing evidence-based strategies for treating the health complications arising from FGM and in uncovering the benefits of alternative therapies like CBD for managing associated mental health conditions.
