As a young woman of 14 or 15 years old, I had so many things to be excited about. I was in high school, preparing to apply to colleges and universities and figure out what my major would be. I was involved in clubs and activities at school, which kept me busy and occupied. I rarely had anything to seriously worry about, aside from the normal teenage drama.
In Tanzania, the concerns of a teenage girl are quite different and quite serious.
One of the main concerns, which has recently received loads of attention from international governments and nonprofit organizations, is female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as female circumcision. Since we arrived in Tanzania, I've been shocked at the risks faced by FGM victims and the influence it has on much of the African continent. Read on for a brief outline of FGM's purpose, risks, effects on Tanzania, and what is being done to put an end to it.
Disclaimer: Let me underline just how brief this post will be. I am (happily) overwhelmed by the amount of research, statistics, and writing that exists out here on the world wide web about this issue. So, this post skims the surface of FGM on a very generic level. If you'd like to learn more, please put a question in the Comments Box below and I'd be happy to follow up.