In several counties, this practice is still prevalent, marking the end of a girl's education and her future opportunities. When a
girl undergoes FGM, she is often considered ready for marriage and childbearing, effectively ending her educational journey. The
practice is deeply rooted in tradition and is often supported by community members who view it as an essential rite of passage.
The problem is further compounded by gender bias in households. In communities where FGM is practiced, girls are often groomed for
roles that do not include formal education. They grow up with feelings of being inferior and suffer from low self-esteem, which
contributes to their dropping out of school. The socializing processes are designed and rigorously applied to instil a feeling of
superiority in boys, while girls are taught to accept subjugation and inferiority with apathy.
FGM has severe physical, psychological, and social consequences for girls. Beyond the immediate health risks, the practice often
leads to
early marriage,
teenage pregnancy,
and a lifetime of poverty and marginalization. When a girl is cut, her education is typically terminated, and she is married off
to an older man. She becomes economically dependent, unable to make independent choices about her life, and trapped in a cycle of
intergenerational poverty.
