{
  "id": 151079,
  "title": "'My grandmother subjected my baby to female genital mutilation behind my back'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/my-grandmother-subjected-my-baby-to-female-genital-mutilation-behind",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-04T23:13:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC News",
    "slug": "bbc-news",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3r0vp7n0pro?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a groundbreaking development, Colombia has become the first Latin American country to outlaw female genital mutilation (FGM). This monumental achievement, following a unanimous vote in Congress, comes after years of tireless advocacy by activists and community members. One such advocate is Carla Quiñonez, whose baby was subjected to FGM by her great-grandmother when the infant was just six months old. The practice, which involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, is deeply rooted in the Emberá Indigenous community, though it is not as prevalent elsewhere in Latin America. Quiñonez, along with fellow activists and Congress members, played a pivotal role in the campaign to ban the practice. The main theories behind the tradition's existence within the Emberá community range from historical connections to African countries, to fears of intersex births, and patriarchal beliefs about women's sexuality. Despite its cultural significance, the legal representative and chief Indigenous councillor of the National Confederation of the Peoples of the Great Emberá Nation of Colombia, Juliana Domico, strongly rejects the idea that the practice is cultural. It is now widely recognized as a form of sexual and gender-based violence with lifelong consequences. Dr. Diana Ramos Mosquera, a pediatrician, has seen the devastating effects of FGM, including cases where girls were born with sealed vaginal openings, leading to lifelong difficulties with menstruation and childbirth. She believes that the current cases only represent a small fraction of the actual problem, as many occurrences go unreported. Quiñonez, who has faced threats since speaking out against the practice, emphasizes the need for education and support within the community to eradicate this harmful tradition. She has witnessed a shift within the Emberá community, with women now openly discussing the possibility of ending FGM. However, accessing medical help for their babies remains a challenge due to language barriers and sometimes ill-informed or judgmental healthcare staff. Despite these obstacles, there is hope that the new law will translate into effective public policy, providing the necessary resources to implement and enforce the ban.",
  "summary": "In Colombia, where FGM is still practised by some members of an indigenous group, a landmark bill banning the practice has been enacted.",
  "key_points": [
    "Colombia bans female genital mutilation (FGM) in landmark vote.",
    "Six-month-old baby subjected to FGM by great-grandmother.",
    "Activists, including Carla Quiñonez, fight against harmful tradition."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Colombia's ban on female genital mutilation marks a significant shift in recognizing the practice as a form of violence, offering hope for eradicating the tradition through education and support.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}