Addressing Female Genital Mutilation: the remaining critical 5% of Congolese Girls in the DRC 

by Eunicia Lutete  updated on February 06, 2024       

Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as female circumcision, is so serious a social and health issue that the United Nation has marked 6th of February as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation with the goal of ending it by 2030 as it is internationally recognized as a violation of human rights.   

FGM is a deeply rooted cultural practice that has affected millions of girls and women across the globe particularly in Africa and the Middle East, some countries in Asia and Latin America. According to WHO more than 200 million girls around the globe go through FGM Amongst those 30 countries where FGM is practiced, there is only 5% of it in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), despite the 5% this practice is impacting the lives of many young girls. This article delves into the issue, using the DRC as a case study, and incorporates insights from UNICEF reports and other relevant sources to shed light on the prevalence, consequences, and efforts to eradicate this harmful practice.  

Female genital mutilation is widespread in various regions of the DRC, exhibiting varying degrees of severity. UNICEF reports indicate that approximately 5% of girls and women aged 15 to 49 in the DRC have experienced some form of genital mutilation. The prevalence of this practice is notably higher in specific ethnic groups and communities, particularly in the provinces of Bas-Uélé, Haut-Uélé, Ituri, and Tshopo, as well as Équateur, Bandundu, and North Kivu, according to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child reports from 2017 and 2018.  

FGM comprises various procedures that involve the partial or total removal of external female genitalia. These procedures are often carried out for cultural, religious, or social reasons, but they pose severe health risks and violate the rights of girls and women. In the DRC, the most common forms of FGM involve the partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or labia minora. The health complications arising from FGM are extensive and contribute to an estimated annual cost of US$1.4 billion to health systems globally. FGM is not only a grave violation of human rights but also perpetuates deep-rooted gender inequality.  

 

 

 

 

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is categorized into four distinct types, each differing in severity. The initial type involves the removal of the prepuce or prepuce removal coupled with partial or complete removal of the clitoris, commonly referred to as clitoridectomy. The second type encompasses the removal of the clitoris along with a portion or the entirety of the labia minora, known as excision. The third type consists of the removal of a portion or the entire labia minora, with the labia majora being sewn together, a practice termed infibulation. Lastly, the fourth type includes all other detrimental procedures performed on the female genitalia for non-medical purposes.  

The health consequences of FGM are extensive and can lead to both immediate and long-term complications. Short-term risks include severe pain, bleeding, and infections, while long-term risks encompass reproductive health issues, psychological trauma, and complications during childbirth. In the context of the DRC, where healthcare resources may be limited, addressing the health consequences of FGM becomes even more challenging.  

The international community, including organizations like WHO, UNICEF UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and many other local organizations, has been actively working to eliminate FGM globally. In the DRC, efforts are focused on raising awareness, advocating for policy changes, and providing support to communities to abandon the practice. Community-based interventions often involve engaging with local leaders, religious authorities, and women themselves to challenge the beliefs perpetuating FGM.  

Refusing to undergo Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) within a community can lead to social consequences, including potential ridicule from women within the community or, in some cases, divorce initiated by the husband. In cultures where FGM is practiced, it is often considered a tradition to enhance a woman’s chances of finding a husband and getting married.  

Regrettably, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) currently lacks a specific law prohibiting this practice. The legal framework only imposes relatively minor consequences when FGM is performed on a child under 14 years old, carrying a potential penalty of up to 5 years in prison. In cases where the mutilation results in the death of the individual, the applicable sentence is life imprisonment, as stipulated by Act No. 06/018 of 20 July 2006, which governs the Congolese Criminal Code.  

UNICEF plays a crucial role in monitoring and combating FGM worldwide. Their reports provide valuable insights into the progress and challenges faced in different regions, including the DRC. UNICEF emphasizes the importance of education, community involvement, and legislative measures in the fight against FGM. Additionally, the organization highlights the need for healthcare services to address the physical and psychological consequences faced by survivors.  

Female genital mutilation remains a significant concern for the well-being and rights of girls and women, not only in the DRC but globally. The case study of Congolese girls underscores the urgency of concerted efforts to eliminate this harmful practice. Through collaborative endeavors involving governments, NGOs, and local communities, progress can be made towards eradicating FGM, safeguarding the health and dignity of countless girls and women worldwide. It is crucial to continue raising awareness, advocating for policy changes, and fostering a cultural shift away from this deeply entrenched practice.  

 

Testimonies from a UNICEF report:  

“In my clan, they do it in infancy; some others do it in adulthood. My mother was even cut off when she was about to get married. I was cut when I was just five years old, so I didn’t know much about it” Uzodimma Lucy Ogodo, the Executive Director of Tomorrow, is a Girl Initiative, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. 

“It was my grandmother who took me to where I was cut. It was very painful. After the cutting, they use hot water to wash the cut part. As you can imagine, it’s very painful. I was like six years old then. I didn’t know the implications of the FGM.” Josephine Ezaka, from Amudo, in the Ezza South local government area of Ebonyi State 

“After I got cut, I had nightmares that I was about to go through it again. As I woke up terrified, I wanted to hug someone so I could feel safe. I couldn’t hug my mother because she was the one who did this to me.” – Manar, 13 years old 

“The doctors know that what they are doing is wrong. But they don’t want anyone to say they can’t do such a simple procedure. Doctors don’t learn how to cut girls at medical school; it’s something they learned from midwives. My dream is to become a doctor to help patients, especially children, because I love children very much. I want to be one of the doctors who never cut children but protect them from bad and harmful traditions.” – Marwa 

Africa, the cradle of humanity, a land that stirs the soul with its mystic allure. My soul chose to be born in a land where golden savannahs stretch far and wide. A land where one can witness the plains come alive with the rhythmic footsteps of herds embarking on their breath-taking migration in a timeless display of resilience and unity. A country that holds beauty, that enchants the senses and ignites wonder.

My land, my motherland Kenya. Born into a Kenyan family of Asian descent, a family that has lived and breathed Kenya and Africa for previous 5 generations, I can only identify as a Kenyan, a proud 6th generation African. Brought up in a family where ‘Being Human’ was the main principal belief. We have been raised with values that don’t differ greatly from those of the thousands of tribes that make up Africa – roots, heritage, family, faith, morals, principles and more.

Many years ago, I stood on stage at a speech writing contest in High School, where I described the strategy behind Muhamad Ali’s glorious win where he “floated like a butterfly, and stung like a bee” against George Foreman, in the fight forever known as the ‘Rumble in the Jungle.’ Years later, never even in my wildest imagination, did I imagine I would be living in the very ‘jungle’ itself, and working in the world of strategic storytelling and encouraging the amplification of Congolese voices and narratives far and wide across the globe from the heart of Africa.

Congo or as it was then called Zaire, a land that was stamped in the memory of the World as the place where Ali fought Foreman and caused a mighty Rumble in the boxing world. A battle that was immortalised in the song ‘In Zaire’ sung by Johnny Wakelin. Congo was a land everyone wanted to know about.

A land that is endowed with all the riches known to mankind. A blessed land, with a rich cultural heritage and a teeming, deserving population. A land sadly destroyed by its colonial past. Which, since its independence, is slowly trying to attain its rightful place in the World. It is here that I arrived five years back.

As I look back on my first five years of living in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there have been moments of floating and very often, little stings. I moved to Kinshasa for love. In the beginning, I can honestly admit, it was not love for the city or the country or the people – I didn’t know enough about this 

ginormous country and the 100+ million people that fill its borders – it was personal love. But five years later, I never thought I could love a country and its people as though they were mine. That love comes from the heart that feels the mystic rhythm of the African land, and I couldn’t be prouder to call it home.

You can never shake the ancient dust of Africa off your boots – no matter how far and wide you travel.

Having lived in London for thirteen years followed by a few years in the Middle East, returning to Africa was natural. 

The love for Africa always remains in the soul. Living in the heart and soul of Central Africa, has been an adventure.

The narratives that have filled Western Media have sung a different song for many years, call it geo-politics, strategic positioning, economic control, all things aside, the story of the Congo has never really been told loudly by the Congolese themselves. From the outside looking in, the perceptions are dotted and plagued with negativity, but on the ground, the beating hearts of the Congolese are rumbling a little louder day by day towards progress, and it’s in these slivers of hope, that the true stories are revealed.

The stories that spotlight the young entrepreneur battling to build a viable business, young students carving out their careers currently into untapped and underdeveloped industries, the non-existent middle class that should build the private sector and contribute to its growth and the country’s economy, international investors building projects that create jobs and wealth for the locals as much as it does for the financial interest in the Congo. We can’t talk about changing the narrative of a country when we don’t discuss the positive changes that education, infrastructure developments, economic policies, universal health care, food self sufficiency etc can contribute towards developing Congo.

In Africa, a transformative era is on the horizon as the continent sets its sights on change and development like never before, and country examples like Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Morocco, and Kenya are a testament to these positive changes. A combined drive by the Africans to build an Africa by Africans for a future developed Africa. A daunting task as a fellow African who first arrived in Kinshasa for a two-week trip which quickly extended from month to month and snowballed into creating a business in the field of strategic advisory and communications. It was created around the simple premise – the African narrative needs to be written by the Africans, and the Congolese needed a platform for their voices to be heard as far and wide across the globe.

At the heart of Africa, the center of its soul, the Congolese beats are picking up. Business is quietly picking up, post the first peaceful democratic elections. As the incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi embarks on his second mandate, the world waits with bated breath for the promised change and greater development, the impact of which can be felt across the entire population. Whether its infrastructure, governance reform, education, better health, access to basic needs – there are plenty of conversations to be had. Storytelling, an essential part of Congolese culture, an oral tradition that is filled with narratives, stories, and songs, need to be told from the perceptions and opinions of the Congolese.

In the past, and especially in 2023 the power and bias of the international media came to the forefront.

Geopolitics and powerful Media Houses controlled and amplified the narrative that in their perception was important. It’s only natural to question the visibility of certain global issues over another. This raises the question about the impact of our voices when catastrophes and issues affecting an African country are narrated differently. Whether it’s election, unrest or other catastrophes affecting an African country, sometimes the western media does not consider it newsworthy because they do not have an in-depth understanding and information of the issues and disasters that affects this Continent.

There are a lot of positive changes happening as well, and these news worthy developments need to be made a part of the Global narrative. Positive or negative these conversations need to be had openly and who better than the Africans to be at the forefront of this narrative. The true voices of the Congolese need to be heard from their heart and soul and from their perspective. That’s when the true picture of the reality of their lives, struggles and aspirations emerges.

There is a need for a platform where the Congolese voices and the African voices can be heard, where views can be freely given not as a negative but as a positive approach to help bring the DRC to take its rightful place, not just in Africa but also in the World. Is it not our experiences from around the world when put together with like minded individuals – where greatness begins? Where stories and narratives become the basis for legacies.

DRConversations is the platform created as a gift for all the voices that need to be heard, for all the emotions that need to be expressed and to bring forth the dreams and aspirations of a nation on the cusp of development. Join this journey by sharing openly your knowledge and experience to make DRC a happy, positive and progressive Nation.

It’s time for another rumble in the jungle – Welcome to the conversations from the Congo.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             KS