United States: FGM is not a cultural requirement

On 26 April 2010, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a “Policy Statement – Ritual Genital Cutting of Female Minors” that in effect promotes changes in US federal and state laws to “enable pediatricians to reach out to families by offering a ritual nick” such as “pricking or incising the clitoral skin to satisfy cultural requirements.”

FGM is a harmful traditional practice with serious health risks and is acknowledged internationally as a human rights violation and an extreme form of discrimination against women and girls. Equality Now urges the AAP to retract the portions of its Statement that in effect promote changes in US federal and state laws to enable physicians to “nick” girls’ genitalia.

Please see the website link below to visit Equality Now's web page and submit a letter to the directors of the American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Medical Specialties protesting the AAP's policy statement on the ritual genital cutting of female minors.