Almost half of Indonesian girls under 15 have undergone genital mutilation – UN report

5th February 2016 

A UN report released today revealed that about half (49 percent) of all Indonesian girls aged 14 and younger have undergone genital mutilation (or circumcision). The figure stands in stark contrast with Indonesia’s reputation as a moderate and even progressive Muslim nation.

Female genital mutilation (or FGM) is a catch-all phrase for procedures that totally or partially remove the external female genitalia, or injures the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It is widely regarded as a serious and abhorrent violation of human rights.

The report by UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) noted that while instances of female genital mutilation are declining globally, not all countries have achieved progress on the issue. In short, the decrease in FGM is neither uniform nor sufficient.

Indeed, the report highlighted some very disturbing numbers. An estimated 200 million females in 30 countries alive today have undergone the procedure. Of that former number, over half reside in just three countries – Indonesia, Egypt, and Ethiopia.

Female genital mutilation has been generally thought to be confined to Africa and the Middle East. However, its apparent popularity in Indonesia may underscore its previously unrecorded prevalence throughout the globe.

In Indonesia, female circumcision is understood to be deeply rooted in religion and tradition. Its implementation varies, but is typically considered less severe than approaches common on the African continent.

According to Agence France-Presse, in 2010, the Indonesian government issued a regulation clarifying the extent of legal female circumcision – allowing “scraping the clitoral hood, without injuring the clitoris.”

But even that is too far for UN officials. “Is it still mutilation if it is only a scratch?” asked Loren Rumble, chief of UNICEF’s child protection unit, last September, as quoted by the Jakarta Globe. “Absolutely, yes.”