Khadijah Aliyu -Nigeria
A global activist and psychotherapist,Dr Leyla Hussain, has raised concerns over the persistent misconceptions and racial undertones affecting global conversations on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), stressing that the harmful practice is not exclusive to Africa but a worldwide problem.
Hussain, the Global Advocacy Director for the G-Generation a programme funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) made the indication during a presentation tagged beyond the headlines: Reframing the Narrative on FGM and Child marriage at the African women in media conference AWiM25 held at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According to her, she has worked with survivors of sexual violence for 15 years, including women and girls affected by FGM across multiple continents.
Hussain emphasized that the belief that FGM is primarily an African issue is both misleading and rooted in racial stereotypes.
“FGM is a global issue. It is a violation of a girl’s rights, done to control the female body and sexuality. It is also a crime,”
“The assumption that only Africans are subjected to FGM exists because African suffering has been sensationalized and normalized.”
Hussain noted that FGM is also practiced in Asia, the Middle East, parts of Europe, the Americas, and among various ethnic groups, including white women yet their experiences receive little or no media attention.
She cited an upcoming convening of survivors from the Middle East, Asia, Africa, the U.S., and Europe as evidence that FGM cuts across continents.
“I know many white women who have undergone FGM. The media is never interested in speaking to them. Asian and Middle Eastern women are also largely ignored,”
According to her, racial bias plays a major role in how the issue is framed.
“People find it ‘confusing’ to hear that a white woman has been mutilated because violence against Black bodies has been normalized,” she added. “This is why African stories of suffering are the ones amplified.”
While global discussions often focus on the “types” of FGM, Hussain stressed that the fundamental issue is the non-consensual touching and cutting of a child’s genitalia.
“Before talking about types, remember that touching a child’s genitalia without consent is sexual assault regardless of the continent,”
She emphasized that FGM practices are similar worldwide, but racism influences which communities are blamed or highlighted.
Hussain questioned the accuracy of the widely circulated figure of 230 million survivors, noting that it only captures cases recorded in clinics or hospitals.
“This number excludes millions of women with no access to healthcare or official records. Asia and parts of South America remain severely underreported,”
She added that internal networks indicate extremely high prevalence rates in countries like Malaysia and Singapore, yet global attention remains disproportionately focused on Africa.
Hussain emphasized that FGM is fundamentally a form of gender-based violence (GBV).
“Girls are targeted solely because they were born female. It is about controlling women’s sexuality,” she said.
She also highlighted often ignored forms of violence linked to FGM, including the kidnapping of girls for cutting ceremonies, citing examples from Sierra Leone.
Hussain referenced recent research from the University of Birmingham estimating that a girl dies every 14 minutes due to FGM-related complications figures comparable to global malaria deaths, yet vastly underfunded.
She criticized the tendency to frame FGM as a “traditional practice” rather than a criminal act.
“We do not negotiate with communities about murder. FGM must be treated as the crime that it is,”
Hussain urged journalists especially African journalists to challenge racialized narratives and broaden the global understanding of FGM.
“Media outlets must stop focusing only on African suffering. We must tell the full story, including positive African stories and the global reality of FGM,” she said.
She stressed that meaningful progress requires better data, less sensationalism, and recognition of the racial biases shaping global discourse on FGM.