I had the honour of being invited to the observance of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM on 6th February 2025, an event organized by Barnardo’s National FGM Centre and hosted by the Home Office in London. My speech is as follows.
Today, on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, we are reminded that this is not just a distant issue—it exists in many forms across the world, including in Malaysia. As a healthcare professional, I am deeply disturbed by what is locally referred to as “female circumcision,” which is, in reality, a form of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) or Mutilation (FGM).
For years, I had a vague memory of a female relative undergoing this practice—until my medical studies and research forced me to confront the truth. In Malaysia, Type IV FGC is most common, involving needling or pricking the external clitoris to extract a drop of blood, usually in newborns. Because of this, many women are unaware they have undergone it unless they ask their parents. While proponents argue there are no major health complications – which is true, we lack studies on its psychosexual impact, and we cannot dismiss the broader implications of violating bodily autonomy.
A colleague from an FGM/C clinic in London once shared the case of a Southeast Asian woman suffering from sexual dysfunction and chronic pain. Despite visiting multiple clinics, she was repeatedly told she had not undergone FGM/C—yet her suffering persisted. Was it undiagnosed endometriosis? A consequence of FGC? A psychological response to a trauma she never even knew she had experienced? We do not have the answers, and the reality is that many women may live with unexplained chronic pelvic pain and sexual dysfunction.
More concerning is the growing medicalisation of FGC. A study by Professor Rashid in 2020 found that 20.5% of doctors in Malaysia admitted at performing FGC and agreed for the practice to be continued with a substantial number of doctors performing Type I FGM—partial or total removal of the external clitoris—something previously unheard of when the practice was limited to traditional midwives. This medical endorsement dangerously legitimises an already harmful practice.
Supporters often justify Malaysian FGC by drawing distinctions between it and more severe forms practised elsewhere. But let me be clear: acknowledging these differences is not a justification for its continuation. There is no cultural superiority in any form of gender-based violence. No matter how “mild”, it remains a violation of bodily autonomy.
However, it is also crucial to recognise that not all Malaysian Muslim women identify as survivors of FGM/C, and many may even find the term offensive. This raises difficult questions: Are Malaysian women oppressed? Can others decide that for us? Do the oppressed always recognise their oppression?
FGC in Malaysia is rooted in misconceptions—religious, cultural, and social. But to say that Malaysian women are oppressed solely because of it would be an oversimplification. Oppression is complex and exists everywhere. Even in countries that condemn FGM, women’s bodies are still controlled—whether through laws restricting reproductive rights or societal expectations of purity and modesty. The recent overturning of Roe v. Wade in the US is proof that reproductive control is not exclusive to any one culture.
This is why today matters. The International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM is not just about eliminating one form of harm—it is about ensuring that all women, everywhere, have the right to bodily autonomy, dignity, and choice.
Let us not remain silent. Let us challenge harmful traditions, advocate for research, and ensure that no girl or woman has to experience FGM—no matter the form, no matter the justification.
Thank you.
Related posts:
- New: Patient Information Leaflet on Female Genital Cutting
- Decolonising FGM/C Advocacy: Respecting Local Expertise | Boston Congress of Public Health
- Empowering Healthcare Professionals: Unveiling the Harms of Female Circumcision in Malaysia
- Ova Health – The Galen Centre: Sunat Perempuan Bukan Satu Keperluan – Dr Hannah Nazri
- Female Circumcision is Unnecessary: Girls Are Perfect as They Are
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About the Author: Hannah Nazri
