Distribution of FGM/C across the Maldives
There is little variation in the prevalence of FGC across the country. The area with the highest prevalence is the ‘South’ region (15.1%); followed by the Malé region (13.8%), and the ‘North’ region (13.3%). The ‘North Central’ region has the lowest prevalence, at 9.7%. It has been suggested that the higher rate of cutting in urban Malé (where 38% of the population resides), compared to the ’Central’ region, which is entirely rural, is due to the increased rural-to-urban migration that has taken place over the past few decades.
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Trends in FGM/C Prevalence in the Maldives
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The data suggest that the practice of FGC has significantly reduced over the past 50 years. 37.5% of women in the 45–49 age cohort have undergone the procedure, compared to only 1% of women aged 15–19. Also encouraging is that only 1.1% of the daughters (aged 0–14) of women surveyed by the DHS have been cut. However, although girls are usually cut before the age of five, girls/women may also undergo FGC at puberty or just before marriage.
.jpg "Short Report: FGC in the Maldives")
_cover.jpg "The Law and FGC: The Maldives")
