Peer-reviewed article
Female genital mutilation: trends, economic burden of delay and basis for public health interventions.
Cordova-Pozo K, Abdalla HHI, Moller AB ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study analyzes 30-year trends in female genital mutilation (FGM) across 27 countries in Africa and the Middle East. Fourteen countries showed declining FGM prevalence, with nine experiencing steep declines and five showing minimal reductions. The research documents significant inequality in FGM prevalence within and between countries, and quantifies the economic costs of delaying interventions to eliminate the practice. The findings can inform public health efforts to reduce FGM.
Key points
- Among 27 countries studied, 13 showed no change in FGM prevalence over 30 years while 14 showed declining trends
- Nine countries (Uganda, Togo, Ghana, Benin, Kenya, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia) had high annual rates of decrease (CAGR between -1.01 and -10.26)
- Five countries (Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Gambia, Djibouti, Mali) with the highest FGM prevalence showed minimal year-on-year decreases and similar distribution across wealth quintiles and residence
- Considerable economic burden exists due to delays in implementing FGM reduction interventions, such as those caused by COVID-19
- Inequality in FGM prevalence exists within and between countries, warranting further investigation
Limitations
The document does not specify the specific interventions analysed or provide detailed methodology for calculating economic burden. It does not disaggregate findings by age group or provide information on the health outcomes that drive the economic burden estimates.
Abstract
Background The practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) is a health and social problem. Millions of girls and women have undergone FGM or will soon, and more information is needed to effectively reduce the practice. The aim of this research is to provide an overview of the FGM trendlines, the inequality of its prevalence, and the economic burden. The findings shed light on 30-year trends and the impact of the pandemic on planned efforts to reduce FGM which helps with public health interventions. Methods Temporal trend analysis, and graphical analysis were used to assess the change and inequality over the last 30 years. We included 27 countries in which FGM is prevalent. We calculated the extra economic burden of delayed interventions to reduce FGM like COVID-19. Results For the 27 countries analyzed for temporal trendlines, 13 countries showed no change over time while 14 had decreasing trends. Among the 14, nine countries, Uganda, Togo, Ghana, Benin, Kenya, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Chad, and Ethiopia had high year-decrease (CAGR - 1.01 and - 10.26) while five, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Gambia, Djibouti, and Mali had low year-decrease (CAGR>-1 and < 0). Among these five are the highest FGM prevalence similar distribution regardless the wealth quintiles or residence. There is an economic burden of delay or non-decline of FGM that could be averted. Conclusion Findings indicate that some countries show a declining trend over time while others not. It can be observed that there is heterogeneity and homogeneity in the FGM prevalence within and between countries which may indicate inequality that deserves further investigation. There is considerable economic burden due to delays in the implementation of interventions to reduce or eliminate FGM. These insights can help in the preparation of public health interventions.