AHI joined the rest of the world to mark the International Day Against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on February 6, 2009. On this day, AHI reaffirmed its longstanding position that FGM is a harmful practice and that all girls deserve to live free from all forms of violence, including FGM.

The event which took place at the Multi- purpose hall of AHI aimed at creating awareness among young people on this harmful Sexual Health practice as well as to provide accurate information on how FGM affects the health of adolescent girls.

This year’s theme, “Understanding Our Right: Addressing Harmful Sexual Health Practices” featured a lecture presentation on the effects and consequences of the practice and suggestions on how the practice can be eliminated. Others were, role plays, a video play back and a quiz competition among participating Secondary Schools. At the end, prizes were given to representatives of these schools.

Female Genital Mutilation is a partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural, religious or other non-therapeutic reasons. The damage caused by FGM is serious and multiple. These include intense pain followed by the loss of all sensitivity in the genital area at best; at worse, internal and/or external bleeding, infections, infertility or even death. It is often performed on minors or even infants, in disastrous hygienic conditions using a blunt knife or razor-blade with no anesthesia.

Approximately 150 million women and girls worldwide have undergone FGM and it is most common in parts of West, East and Central Africa, some parts of the Middle East and South Asia.