Colombia says enough to stop female genital mutilation An important first step in a still very long journey

For the first time in Latin American history, a country has passed a specific law against female genital mutilation. It happened in Colombia, where Congress gave the green light to legislation that aims to prevent, combat and eliminate a practice that constitutes a serious violation of the human rights of girls and women. This is a historic milestone that goes far beyond national borders as it represents an important precedent for the entire region and a strong signal in the fight against one of the most extreme forms of gender violence. When it comes to female genital mutilation (FGM), the collective imagination looks almost exclusively at certain African or Middle Eastern countries. In reality, according to the United Nations, this practice is present in more than 90 countries around the world and has already involved more than 230 million living women and girls. Every year, millions of girls continue to be exposed to this risk.

Female genital mutilation is a human rights violation

Female genital mutilation includes all those procedures that involve the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injuries to the genital organs for non-medical reasons. The World Health Organization considers it a violation of human rights and there is no health benefit associated with this practice. On the contrary, it can cause bleeding, infections, chronic pain, complications during childbirth, infertility, psychological trauma and permanent consequences on sexual and reproductive health.

The situation in Colombia

Many people are unaware that even in Colombia female genital mutilation continues to occur, albeit to a limited extent, especially within some indigenous Emberá communities. This is not a widespread practice in the Colombian population as a whole, but in recent years, numerous cases have emerged that have prompted institutions, associations and indigenous leaders to start a long process of confrontation. According to data from the Colombian National Institute of Health, 240 cases were registered between 2020 and June 2026, 88% of which involved girls between 0 and 5 years old. The same data, however, are considered an underestimate, since many episodes go unreported.

The new law is the result of shared work

The new law stems precisely from this shared work. Unlike what you might think, it doesn't just introduce bans or sanctions. The text adopts a much broader approach, focusing on prevention, education, training of health personnel, data collection and dialogue with the communities concerned. The stated objective is to protect girls and promote a change built together with the indigenous peoples themselves.

The role of Emberá women

Emberá women played a fundamental role. Indigenous activists and leaders participated in the drafting of the law, stressing that genital mutilation is not an essential element of their cultural identity, but a practice that can and must be overcome without renouncing their traditions. Their voice was decisive in demonstrating that respect for cultures can never translate into accepting violations of fundamental rights.

Human rights are not negotiable

This point is also central to the international debate. Too often, in fact, female genital mutilation is told exclusively as a cultural issue, but no tradition can justify an irreversible practice carried out on girls who have no choice. Colombia's decision therefore takes on enormous symbolic value because being the first country in Latin America to adopt an organic law against female genital mutilation means officially recognizing that the problem exists and that it can no longer be ignored. It also means offering a model that other states in the region will be able to follow. Of course, a law alone is not enough, as history teaches that change requires investments, training, accessible health services and constant work with communities. For this reason, many international organizations have welcomed the text approved by the Congress, stressing that its effectiveness will depend above all on the concrete implementation of the planned measures.