More than 30 million girls at risk of Female Genital Mutilation over next decade: Unicef

The Unicef has reportedly found that there are more than 30 million girls who are 'at risk' of being subject to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) over the next decade.

FGM, a ritual cutting of girls' genitals is practised by some African, Middle Eastern and Asian communities in the belief it protects a woman's virginity and more than 125 million girls and women alive today underwent this procedure which is now opposed by a majority of countries where it was practiced, BBC reports.

According to the report, Unicef survey found that support for FGM from both men and women has seen a decline and the organization wants action to end the practice completely.

Unicef deputy executive director Geeta Rao Gupta said that FGM 'is a violation of a girl's rights to health, well-being and self-determination and added that legislation is not enough to end the practice.

The study found that FGM remains almost universal in Somalia, Guinea, Djibouti and Egypt and there was little discernible decline in Chad, Gambia, Mali, Senegal, Sudan or Yemen.

However, it was seen that most girls and women and a significant number of boys and men, opposed the practice.

Rao Gupta said that the challenge now is to let girls and women, boys and men speak out loudly and clearly and announce they want this harmful practice abandoned.

The report added that the consequences of FGM include severe bleeding, problems in urinating, infections, infertility and increased risk of newborn deaths in childbirth.