Healthcare professional providing compassionate care to a woman, symbolizing the fight against FGM.

Beyond Awareness: Turning Knowledge into Action on Female Genital Mutilation

Jordan Keane in Health & Wellness June 2025 • 4 min read.

"Why understanding FGM isn't enough, and how healthcare can truly make a difference."

Female genital mutilation (FGM) affects an estimated 200 million women worldwide, with 44 million being girls under the age of 15. Beyond the immediate trauma, FGM leads to serious medical and psychological complications, impacting women's health and even childbirth. It's a human rights violation that demands attention.

The United Nations has called on member states to protect women and girls from FGM, emphasizing the critical role of healthcare providers. This includes providing supportive services, improving health outcomes, and implementing comprehensive prevention strategies through training.

A recent study in the Emergency Medicine Journal highlights a concerning gap: even when healthcare professionals are aware of FGM, they may miss cases during examinations. This article explores how to move beyond awareness and equip healthcare providers with the tools and training needed to identify, care for, and ultimately help prevent FGM.

Bridging the Knowledge Gap: From Awareness to Action

Healthcare professional providing compassionate care to a woman, symbolizing the fight against FGM.

The first crucial step is ensuring systematic education about FGM for all healthcare professionals. Given increasing international migration, clinicians everywhere, not just in specific communities, need to be prepared. This includes nurses, physicians, social workers, and advanced practice providers across various specialties like general, emergency, and behavioral health.

Training should begin during professional schooling and continue throughout their careers, including specialty training. If healthcare providers aren't actively considering FGM as a possibility, it will be missed entirely. However, simply knowing about FGM isn't enough. We need to move beyond theoretical understanding to practical application.

Hands-on Training: Focus on clinical tools for screening and care.
Patient-Centered Approach: Understanding that cultural contexts vary significantly.
Trauma-Informed Care: Creating a safe and non-judgmental environment for disclosure is essential.
Postpartum Intervention: Engaging in conversations with women who have undergone FGM about the potential consequences for their daughters.

Available resources include the WHO's "Care of girls and women living with female genital mutilation: a clinical handbook," the FGM screening algorithm adopted by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, and the UK's NHS' "FGM Information Sharing system" as useful tools.

A Call to Action: Preventing FGM Starts with Prepared Professionals

The study by Fawcett and Kernohan serves as a crucial wake-up call for emergency clinicians, highlighting the urgent need to translate FGM awareness into concrete action.

By equipping healthcare professionals with the right tools, training, and a patient-centered approach, we can ensure that women and girls affected by FGM receive the compassionate and effective care they deserve.

Ultimately, this proactive stance within the healthcare system can contribute to the prevention of FGM and protect future generations.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1136/emermed-2018-207994, Alternate LINK

Title: The Eye Cannot See What The Mind Does Not Know: Female Genital Mutilation

Subject: Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine

Journal: Emergency Medicine Journal

Publisher: BMJ

Authors: Hanni Stoklosa, Nawal M Nour

Published: 2018-08-17

Everything You Need To Know

What exactly is Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and how widespread is it?

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a practice affecting approximately 200 million women globally, with 44 million being girls under 15 years old. It involves procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. Beyond the immediate trauma, FGM leads to serious medical and psychological complications, including issues during childbirth. It is considered a violation of human rights.

Why are healthcare professionals so important in addressing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)?

Healthcare professionals are critical because they are often the first point of contact for women and girls affected by Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Their role, as highlighted by the United Nations, includes providing supportive services, improving health outcomes, and implementing prevention strategies. However, the article emphasizes a gap; even when healthcare professionals are aware of FGM, they may miss cases, underscoring the need for better training and practical application of knowledge.

What steps can be taken to move beyond awareness of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and into concrete action?

The article suggests several strategies to transform awareness into action. These include systematic education on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) for all healthcare professionals, starting from professional schooling and continuing throughout their careers. Emphasis on clinical tools for screening and care, adopting a patient-centered approach that respects cultural contexts, incorporating trauma-informed care to create a safe environment, and postpartum intervention to discuss potential consequences for daughters are also crucial steps.

Why is a patient-centered approach, considering cultural contexts, so important when addressing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)?

A crucial aspect of effective care is a patient-centered approach, recognizing the significant variations in cultural contexts surrounding Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). This includes understanding that different communities may have different practices, beliefs, and experiences related to FGM. Healthcare providers must show sensitivity and avoid judgment to build trust and provide appropriate care, ensuring that the approach is tailored to the individual's needs and cultural background.

What resources are available to help healthcare professionals deal with Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)?

Several resources can assist healthcare professionals. The World Health Organization (WHO) offers a "Care of girls and women living with female genital mutilation: a clinical handbook." The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has an FGM screening algorithm, and the UK's NHS provides an "FGM Information Sharing system." These tools provide practical guidance for screening, care, and information sharing, helping to translate awareness of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) into effective action.