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The world's first anti-FGM movement: What can we learn from Egypt in the 1920s?
Female genital mutilation (FGM) has received increasing attention over the past few decades, particularly in countries where the practice remains widespread. Although the United Nations has called for the practice to be eliminated by 2030, progress has been slow. The world's first anti-FGM movement launched in Egypt in the 1920s is not only a model for promoting social change, but also provides valuable inspiration for contemporary opposition movements.
Background and Current Status of FGM
According to the World Health Organization, female genital mutilation includes all procedures involving partial or complete removal of the external female genitalia, most of which are not considered medically necessary.
In Egypt, FGM was already widespread in the 1920s, and its effects are still seen today. According to a 2013 UNICEF report, 27 million women in Egypt have undergone FGM, the highest number in the region. Although the proportion has decreased in recent years, many young women are still subject to this custom.
Anti-FGM movement in the 1920s
The first campaign against FGM in Egypt began in the 1920s, when some pioneering women's movement members began to question the necessity of the cultural practice and its harm to women. The launch of this movement was closely related to the social changes at that time, the popularization of women's education, and the concern for women's rights.
Driven by the movement, more and more women and social groups have begun to publicize the importance of reproductive health and the risks and discomforts brought about by FGM.
Challenges and impacts of the movement
Although the anti-FGM movement in the 20th century achieved certain success, activists often found it difficult to promote change in the face of strong resistance from traditional, religious and cultural concepts. For many communities, the idea of maintaining social identity and cultural heritage through FGM is deeply rooted.
Local women played an important role in the movement. They were not only the initiators of the movement, but also the witnesses of the changes. However, as the movement progresses, they face tremendous pressure from their families, society and traditional concepts.
Revelation Today
The legacy of the anti-FGM movement of the 1920s reflects not only the values of the movement itself, but also empowers women today to voice their needs and wishes. In today’s world, women activists facing similar challenges can look to this historical example to achieve change through education, community engagement, and legal advocacy.
Legal measures and social reforms
Currently, many countries have begun to legislate to ban FGM and raise public awareness through social campaigns, but these efforts still require strong support from society. Activists must connect the positive power of local culture with the significance of women’s rights and make the anti-FGM movement a topic of social change.
Conclusion
The Egyptian movement in the 1920s was not only the beginning of the fight against FGM, but also reminds us that changing culture and traditions takes time and courage. Today, as global attention to women’s rights deepens, can we find a path to eliminate FGM?
