10 Things About FGM/C in South Asia – Voices from Communities

FGM/C continues to affect 80 million women and girls across Asia, including women and girls in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and The Maldives, often hidden under cultural and religious justifications. Despite international human rights laws condemning it as a severe human rights violation, the practice persists, threatening lives and autonomy. Recently, we hosted a webinar with WeSpeakOut and discussed the issue of FGM/C in South Asia with voices across the diaspora, taking the movement to end FGM/C ahead.

Panelists in the conversation on FGM/C in South Asia:

• Masooma Ranalvi – Founder, We Speak Out, India. She has worked extensively on conflict resolution and gender empowerment and played a key role in raising global awareness of FGM.
• Fiza Ranalvi Jha – Storyteller, Writer and Communications Professional, India. She is documenting the anti-FGM movement in India through the power of storytelling.
• Jaria Hussain-Lala – FGM and Domestic Abuse Expert, United Kigndom
  She co-founded the Greater Manchester FGM Forum and has trained over 1,000 professionals on FGM and Honour-Based Violence.
• Alina Halai – Communications Strategist, Pakistan. She is advocating against FGM/C within the Bohra community in Pakistan.
• Ermiza Tegal – Lawyer & Human Rights Advocate, Sri Lanka. She coauthored the first report on FGM in Sri Lanka and has 17 years of experience in public law and gender-based violence.
• Leena Khandwala -Managing Attorney, Detention and Deportation Defense Initiative Immigrant Rights Clinic, Rutgers Law School, USA
• Aishath Hussain Shihab – Vice Chairperson, Hope for Women, Maldives. She has served as a police officer and worked with NGOs to empower women.

Here are ten insights from our discussion where activists, experts and advocates across the region shed light on the issue and discussed the path forward.

1. FGM/C Remains a Widespread and Overlooked Issue in South Asia
FGM/C is practiced across diverse communities in South Asia, deeply rooted in cultural and religious traditions. As Masooma Ranalvi highlighted, “The campaign against FGM is not about being influenced by the West or belittling our community… it stems from the outrage over our bodily integrity being damaged and the fervent desire to protect girls from such humiliation and harm.” This struggle for bodily autonomy resonates throughout the region.

2. The Power of Storytelling in Bridging Data Gaps
In a region where formal data is scarce, storytelling serves as a vital tool to illustrate the scope of FGM/C’s impact. Fiza Ranalvi Jha shared, “Stories can be a way to make people sit up and pay attention with urgency. They can supplement limited data, humanize it, and add complexity… Storytelling has the capacity to bring a nuanced lens to these discussions.” Through storytelling, survivors find empowerment, and the practice’s prevalence is made visible.

3. Communities Abroad Mobilizing for Advocacy
Diaspora communities have become a powerful voice against FGM/C, advocating from afar. Jaria Hussain-Lala shared, “Our advocacy (in the UK) has allowed survivors from the Bohra community worldwide to come forward… It’s opened a critical conversation for a community that never spoke about FGM and now feels empowered to do so.” These communities offer crucial support and add strength to the global movement against FGM/C.

4. Incremental Progress as a Path Forward
While the movement to end FGM/C requires large-scale change, incremental progress is essential for sustained impact. Leena Khandwala emphasized, “Through slow, incremental progress, this movement will move forward. If I can persuade even five people not to subject their daughters to FGM, that’s a huge success.” Each small step contributes to breaking down the practice over time.

5. Medicalization of FGM/C Complicates Advocacy Efforts
In some South Asian communities, FGM/C is performed by healthcare professionals, lending an air of legitimacy. However, this does not mitigate the harm. “Medicalization shifts FGM/C to clinics, which creates a false sense of safety. It doesn’t stop the harm; it reinforces it,” explained Ermiza Tegal, highlighting the need for education and outreach that challenges the idea of “safe” FGM/C.

6. Ideological Roots Make Change Complex
Challenging the beliefs behind FGM/C is no easy task, as it is often tied deeply to ideology and religious practices. Alina Halai stated, “Ideology is probably one of the hardest things to undo… in the Bohra community, it always comes back to ideology, belief, and faith.” Changing these mindsets requires sensitivity and a focus on cultural dialogue, engaging community leaders and religious scholars.

7. Women’s Rights and the Question of Religious Freedom
Many advocates stress the need for women’s rights to take precedence over cultural justifications for FGM/C. Masooma Ranalvi asked pointedly, “Do we not have the right to freedom of religion as individual women? And is it wrong to demand that women’s rights take priority over intolerant, harmful practices?” This view calls for a rights-based approach to address FGM/C without vilifying the communities involved.

8. Lack of Reliable Data Remains a Key Challenge
The absence of comprehensive data in most South Asian countries hampers efforts to address FGM/C effectively. Aishath Hussain Shihab from the Maldives (the only country in South Asia with national-level data on FGM/C prevalence, showing that 13% of women and girls in the country have been subjected to FGM/C) shared, “In the Maldives, we have data, but we still face difficulties in making sure the data stays current. Further, so much remains to be done to make this issue visible in other South Asian nations.” Gathering reliable data is critical to raising awareness, securing funding, and pushing for policy change.

9. Advocacy’s Transformative Effect on Families
Advocacy within families can lead to powerful changes in practice. Jaria Hussain-Lala noted, “Seeing families change their minds, even one father deciding against FGM for his younger daughter, shows that open conversations can break through deeply held beliefs.” These individual shifts demonstrate the impact of education and dialogue on attitudes toward FGM/C.

10. Building a Supportive Network of Change-Makers
Collective action through alliances across South Asia and with diaspora communities abroad strengthens advocacy efforts. As Leena Khandwala noted, “There’s power in each of us sharing our story; together, we can break down barriers and create a ripple effect that reaches far beyond borders.” Working together, advocates can create lasting change, leveraging community support to amplify the message.

What South Asia Needs to End FGM/C:

1. Legislation: Introduce and enforce comprehensive anti-FGM/C laws.
2. Education and Awareness: Foster community understanding to dispel myths and challenge cultural justifications.
3. Data Collection: Conduct national studies to better understand the prevalence and impact of FGM/C.
4. Survivor Support Systems: Establish accessible healthcare, psychological support, and legal aid for survivors.
5. Global Collaboration: Engage diaspora communities and international bodies to hold governments accountable.

Resources:

• Equality Now’s Study on FGM/C: A Call for a Global Response
• Sahiyo’s Study on FGM/C
• WeSpeakOut’s Studies | Academic Paper
• WeSpeakOut’s Film on FGM/C
• Leena Khandwala’s Story
• Ermiza’s Study on FGM/C in Sri Lanka
• Fiza’s Article on FGM/C in India
• Aishath Hussain Shahib’s Resources: FGM in the Maldives