Horrible. Inhumane. Abominable. Shameful. The selection of (derogatory) adjectives with which to define the is infinite female genital mutilation (FGM). Indeed, in the plural, because - unfortunately - there are different types, one more despicable than the other. FGM is legal in 27 African countries and in parts of Asia and the Middle East. But in Sudan, where - according to a United Nations report - they are 9 out of 10 young women to be subjected to it, things could change, for the better. The new government led by Abdallah Hamdok presented these days a bill which could mark the decisive turning point, making female genital mutilation a crime in all respects. Anyone, in fact, guilty of this crime, from the approval of the new judicial system, would be punishable by 3 years in prison and a hefty fine.
Will it really be the end?
Ma a law will suffice to put an end to a custom that has its roots in the history of this country? Archaic - and invasive - practices such as infibulation constitute for some peoples traditions that are difficult to eradicate. It is rituals that mark the stage of transition from infancy to adulthood in a woman's life and, therefore, they are made bearers of a symbolic value which is difficult to give up, especially in some tribes. The risk is that the mutilations could be perpetrated in the darkness of lawlessness, in defiance of the laws, as happens for example in Egypt - where they have been illegal since 2008 -, continuing undeterred a harm the dignity of young women, if not, indeed, the life. In fact, the damage caused to the physical health of the victims, with devastating consequences on their psyche and the most disconcerting fact is that women are among the greatest supporters of this practice. Indeed, if an adult were to oppose to protect his daughters from this obscene treatment, he could incur insults and threats against his own person.
10 years of hard work expected
The government then has the task of promoting one awareness campaign that helps communities to take note of the tremendous impact that the mutilations have on women, thus coming to willingly accept the new law. We also remind you that the Sudan occupies the 166th place out of 187 in a UN ranking on the gender disparity, a result of which we are certainly not proud. The application of this decree could constitute a huge step forward in the history of human rights, but above all of women in the African country. We want to be positive and trust in the words of Prime Minister Hamdok, whose goal is to permanently remove this practice by 2030.
