16 MAY 2016 | GENEVA | COPENHAGEN - New recommendations are health workers better care to more than 200 million girls and women wit...
16 MAY 2016 | GENEVA | COPENHAGEN - New recommendations are health workers better care to more than 200 million girls and women with FGM to help the world.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) describes all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non - medical reasons. FGM has no health benefits, can result in serious injury, and violates the rights of girls and women. The procedure can cause heavy bleeding, problems urinating, and later cysts, infections and death. FGM can again lead to complications at birth and an increased risk of death - born.
International migration practice has become common in 30 countries in Africa and some countries in Asia and the Middle - East, global health problem.
The need for health care
Health workers have to be worldwide now ready to provide for girls and women who were FGM subjected. However, the health workers are often not aware of the many negative health consequences of FGM and many are trained to recognize appropriately and . treat as a result, many women may be affected as a result of FGM unnecessary and physical consequences of mental health.
"The health workers a crucial role to solve this global role of the health problem. You should know how to recognize and treat health complications of FGM," says Dr. "Help access to the right information and the right training to prevent new cases and to ensure that the millions of women who receive FGM, have been through the help that they need." Flavia Bustreo, Assistant Director General who.
Since 1997 there has been an international endeavor increasingly FGM to stop those -. The research work in the communities, the updated frameworks and growing political support to end the practice, and the bodies and international resolutions condemning monitoring. In 2007, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Fund for Children have (UNICEF) launched to speed up the program on FGM / FGC renouncing the practice.
Accumulate the WHO guidelines and contribute to this effort, highlighting the recognition that measures must be taken in all areas, to end the practice and those who live to help with the aftermath.
The recommendations emphasize the prevention and treatment of obstetric complications, the treatment of disorders of anxiety and depression; Attention to the sexual health of women, such as counseling and provision of information and education.
The guidelines also warn of the so - called "medicalization" of FGM, for example, if the parents provide healthcare FGM perform, because they will think it less harmful.
"It is important that health workers perpetuate this harmful practice not accidentally," said Dr. Lale Say, coordinator of WHO, Ministry of Health and WHO reproductive research.
Global healthcare strategy perform to stop female genital mutilation
In 2010, the "stop comprehensive healthcare strategy in the practice of female genital mutilation" one has in collaboration with the UNFPA and the joint program of UNICEF on Female Genital Mutilation / excision and other partners.
A fundamental measure to the medicalization of FGM is to prevent the generation of reports, manuals and guidelines for healthcare providers Those -. Include what needs to process requests from parents or family members FGM execute on girls, women or requests to re perform infibulation after childbirth.
The guidelines also stress the need for further research to improve practice based on evidence so that health workers to better manage the complications of FGM and the health of the community is more aware of the associated health risks, can also work effectively contribute to the elimination of this harmful practice.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
Recommendations include:
- de-infibulation prevent obstetric complications and treat, and facilitate at birth and to prevent and treat problems of the urinary tract;
- mental health, including cognitive behavioral therapy and counseling to treat depression and anxiety disorders;
- female sexual health, including the prevention or treatment of female sexual dysfunction sexual counseling;
- Information and education for all women and girls who have been victims of FGM, and health education and information about DE-infibulation, where appropriate for the health and care providers for women and girls.
For further information, please contact:
Tarik Jašarević
WHO Communications Department
Phone: +41 22 791 5099
Mobile: +41793676214
E-mail: jasarevict@who.int
Kimberly Chriscaden
WHO Communications Department
Phone: +41 22 791 2885
Mobile: +41 79 603 1891
E-mail: chriscadenk@who.int
