WHO calls for global code of conduct to ban medical workers from performing FGM

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged for a formal code of conduct to prohibit medical professionals from carrying out female genital mutilation (FGM), emphasizing the critical role health workers must play in ending the harmful practice.

In newly released guidelines aimed at eradicating FGM, the UN health agency pointed to troubling evidence that in many regions, health workers are increasingly being asked to perform the procedure — rather than it being carried out solely within traditional community settings.

“Female genital mutilation is a severe violation of girls’ rights and poses serious health risks,” said Pascale Allotey, WHO’s Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research. “Medical professionals must act as advocates for change, not participants in this dangerous practice. They also have a responsibility to offer high-quality care to those who suffer from its consequences.”

FGM, which involves the partial or total removal of female external genitalia or other harm to the female genital organs, can result in infections, infertility, complications during childbirth, and long-term psychological trauma.

According to UN Women, approximately 230 million women and girls alive today have undergone FGM, often before reaching puberty. While the likelihood of a girl undergoing FGM has dropped by threefold since 1990, the practice remains prevalent in around 30 countries, putting nearly four million girls at risk annually.

WHO warned that the involvement of healthcare workers in performing FGM could inadvertently legitimize the procedure, undermining decades of efforts to eliminate it.

The new guidelines recommend the inclusion of strict professional standards that explicitly forbid medical workers from engaging in FGM. WHO also called for positive engagement and specialized training for health professionals to strengthen prevention strategies.

“Doctors, nurses, and midwives often serve as respected voices in their communities and can play a pivotal role in changing public attitudes toward FGM,” said Christina Pallitto, the WHO scientist who led the development of the guidelines.

Alongside prevention measures, the guidelines also offer clinical advice to ensure that survivors receive compassionate and effective care. The WHO underscored the wide range of short- and long-term health problems FGM can cause, noting that survivors may require everything from mental health support to surgical interventions and obstetric care throughout their lives.