Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
Female Genital Mutilation, often referred to in English as FGM, or Gudniinta in Somali, is a subject which in recent years has become a major issue as more and more Somalis have settled in “western” countries. Although female circumcision in various forms has been a feature of Somali and several other African and Arab cultures for many generations, it is a practice that is considered abhorrent to western culture, and in several countries including the UK promoting or undertaking the practice is classified as a serious criminal offence.
In the UK the Government has issued guidelines on the subject through the National Health Service (NHS). These can be referenced by the following link:
