FGM prevalence reaches 92%: National Population Council

CAIRO – 9 November 2017: Nationwide prevalence of genital mutilation among females aged 15 - 49 has reached 92 percent according to studies conducted by the anti-Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) national program.

The anti-FGM national program is sponsored by the National Population Council.

The said studies also revealed that prevalence of FGM amongst the younger age groups is rather low; reaching 61 percent amongst females aged 15 - 17.

In 2016, Egypt has amended the 2008 law that criminalizes the act of FGM, increasing its degree of crime from a misdemeanor to a felony, punishable by up to five to seven years in prison.

The Health Ministry announced in October that it is launching a crackdown campaign on physicians proven to be complicit in performing circumcision on girls. The ministry stressed that a qualitative leap has been made in raising the awareness of the medical staff of Egypt about the dangers of the phenomenon and its complications.