FGM violates the right to health

Women and girls who are subjected to FGM are exposed to short and long term effects on their physical, psychological, sexual and reproductive health. As a result, FGM is a violation of the right to enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health as proposed in Article 12 of the International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health explains that within the context of sexual and reproductive health, the right to control one’s health and body is an important freedom. FGM constitutes a “serious breach of sexual and reproductive freedoms”, and is “fundamentally and inherently inconsistent with the right to health.”(2004 report of the UN Special Rapporteur).

Concerning the realisation of the right to health, the Rapporteur emphasized the fact that the realization of the rights to sexual and reproductive health as relating to FGM are “subject to neither progressive realization nor resource availability” and therefore should be implemented without delay.

Read the 2004 report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health