Sweden’s Gender Equality Authority sees a clear need for a study to find out how many girls and women in the country are exposed to genital mutilation. The uncertainty is too great today, the authority states in a new report.

“The statistics on how many girls and women have been subjected to genital mutilation and how many are at risk of being exposed are uncertain. We need a more up-to-date picture of how widespread the problem is so that we can target prevention efforts correctly, and give more girls and women support. Therefore, a new study is needed on the prevalence of genital mutilation of girls and women, something that many who work in the area demand,” says Arbresha Rexhepi, investigator at the Gender Equality Authority.

The Gender Equality Authority has, on behalf of the government, made an inventory of preventive measures against female genital mutilation. 

The report shows that in many places there is a lack of sufficient knowledge. There is also a lack of access to specialist care throughout the country.

“We can see that many want to work with the issue because the commitment is great among both the association life and people who work with genital mutilation in their profession. Long-term mobilization of these actors is fundamental in order to be able to break the silence that often surrounds female genital mutilation,” says Arbresha Rexhepi.