'My grandmother subjected my baby to female genital mutilation behind my back'
In Colombia, where FGM is still practised by some members of an indigenous group, a landmark bill banning the practice has been enacted.
Carla Quiñonez's infant daughter endured female genital mutilation (FGM) at the tender age of six months, without her mother's knowledge. The procedure, practiced by her grandmother, left the baby feverish, swollen, and bleeding. Quiñonez confronted her grandmother, who claimed it was normal and that she could not reveal the incident.
The baby's midwife mother, a midwife, attempted to alleviate the child's pain with herbal remedies. Quiñonez, a 30-year-old activist, has been campaigning for the eradication of FGM in Colombia, where it persists among her Emberá Indigenous community. The practice, which involves the partial or total removal of external female genitalia, can lead to severe medical complications, such as hemorrhaging, infection, and difficulties during childbirth.
It can also hinder sexual pleasure. Activists and members of Colombia's Congress unanimously passed a ban on the practice, marking a significant milestone for Latin America. However, Quiñonez has faced threats from men in her community for her advocacy. Despite the ban, pediatrician Diana Ramos Mosquera believes that the incidents of FGM in Colombia are merely a fraction of the actual cases, as many girls are younger than six years old when they undergo the procedure.
Written by urgent.news from BBC World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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