logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2016
22m 58s

Why Can't Egypt Stop FGM?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Some 92% of married Egyptian women aged between 15-49 have had their genitals cut. FGM is more common in Egypt than anywhere else in the world. These astonishing statistics are all the more surprising when you consider that Egypt banned the practise in 2008. So why is FGM so prevalent in Egypt? Four expert witnesses tell us about the challenge of turning a widely-followed tradition into a crime.

(Photo: A gynaecologist co-operating with the Coptic Center for Training and Development gives a lecture on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in a village close to Beni Sueif, south of Cairo. Credit: Getty Images)

Up next
Yesterday
Should rivers have personhood?
River systems around the world are under stress from various factors ranging from pollution, to agriculture, to extractive industries. In some parts of the world there are regulations to help protect rivers, but in a lot of cases these are just preventative measures for a system ... Show More
23m 11s
Aug 25
How has the Cockroach Janta Party changed India’s politics?
In July 2026, tens of thousands of students took to the streets in India’s capital, demanding reforms to education. The protests followed the leak of medical entrance exam papers but quickly grew to reflect wider concerns about job opportunities for graduates.The movement became ... Show More
24m 17s
Aug 18
Can elections restore Moroccans’ faith in their country?
In September, Morocco’s citizens will go to the polls for the country’s general election. Morocco is a constitutional monarchy, with a multi-party-political system. A new head of government will be appointed by King Mohammed VI, from the winning party, to form a ruling coalition. ... Show More
24m 6s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2025
Excision, la dignité mutilée des femmes égyptiennes
L’excision. Rien qu’à l’évocation de ce mot, le traumatisme de millions de femmes ressurgit. Ablation du clitoris, mutilation des lèvres… Cette procédure violente est un des symboles du patriarcat, une tradition perpétrée au nom d’une soi-disant pureté. Et elle est particulièreme ... Show More
19m 30s
Mar 2024
Why is FGM proving so contentious in The Gambia?
Female Genital Mutilation or FGM is a practice that divides people. In the countries where it’s common – it’s usually carried out for cultural or religious reasons - but in recent years many African countries have banned the practice saying it’s a violation of the rights of women ... Show More
19m 32s
Jan 2022
Is a tragedy in Egypt changing women’s rights?
Basant Khaled was 17 when she is believed to have taken her own life. It’s alleged that private, digitally altered images of Basant were shared online. And that they were seen by fellow students. Her family say she wasn’t able to cope with people’s comments before her suicide. He ... Show More
14m 7s
May 2020
Rozan Ahmed on Sudan's Ban on Female Genital Mutilation (07.05.2020)
On 30th of April 2020, Sudan made history by criminalizing the act of female genital mutilation (FGM), a dangerous and deeply embedded cultural practice. Writing for Vogue Arabia, Rozan Ahmed, a Sudanese writer shares the background and history of Sudanese women fighting against ... Show More
5m 22s
Apr 2014
Mona Eltahawy - Egypt, the Arab World and the War On Women (All About Women 2014)
Egyptian-American journalist Mona Eltahawy has been one of the most visible reporters of the dramatic events in Egypt in recent years. In parallel with her coverage of revolutionary politics has been her call for social and sexual revolutions. Beaten, sexually assaulted and detai ... Show More
1h 5m
May 2022
Why is it so hard for single women to rent in Egypt?
Doormen hassling you, endless questioning and a ban on visitors.These are the challenges faced daily by single women renting in Egypt.And this is after they've managed to clinch a deal with an amenable landlord. Many refuse to let to single women, arguing it could damage their bu ... Show More
15m 21s
Dec 2020
MM: Egypt
tail spinning
11m 53s
Jun 2014
The Women of the Arab Spring
Meet the women who are trying to be heard. Egyptian journalist Mona Eltahawy meets those who pushed through legislation enshrining gender equality in Tunisia - and asks what will it take to make the government repeal the law in Jordan that allows rapists to marry their victims. 
27m 1s